Stargate: Moon Base Alpha
by JovianJeff
Summary: This is Space:1999 adapted to the Stargate universe with the moon not blown out of orbit, a dash of Farscape, sprinkled with aliens from other shows and movies. Moonbase Alpha is part of the SGC and established on the far side of the moon.
1. Introduction

Title: Stargate: Moon Base Alpha

Author: Jeff

Category: AU

Content Level: Age 13

Content Warnings: None

Pairings: John/Helena, Tony/Maya

Season: 3

Spoilers: none

Summary: This is Space:1999 adapted to the Stargate universe with the moon not blown out of orbit, but with the moon base of that 1975-77's show built over and around an alien outpost that will be discovered to be primarily Furling, but also was an outpost of the "alliance of four great races" regarding Earth. This will crossover with other races from other shows, most of which had been contenders for the place as the Fifth race (you can imagine how happy they'll be to find out Earth may just end up beating them out of it).

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. Space: 1999 and its characters are the property of ITC Entertainment, Sylvia and Gerry Anderson. Farscape and its characters are the property of the Jim Henson Company and Hallmark Entertainment.

This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Author's note: Space: 1999 was always a show that fascinated me when I first saw it in the 1970s. At the time I had, as a child, considered it 'neat' that they used spacesuits (I was use to Trek rarely using them). However I did not consider the real world physics of what would happen if the moon could be 'blasted out of orbit' when I first saw it. With the recent advent of DVDs, and a marathon of watching the shows again I thought since we've passed the year 1999, why not adapt it to the Stargate universe as the Space:1999 characters would now be contemporaries of the Stargate ones. One connection will be Alan Carter from Space:1999 is a cousin to Samantha Carter of SG-1.

Now you may ask what does Farscape have to do with this? I am using the premise of the Furlings as the Builders from that universe. The Builders were the creators of the Leviathans, who had made that biomechanical race of spaceships. I will be taking liberties with them, for instance they will also have the Stargate flavor of aliens as Earth mythology. In the case of the Furlings, they will have formed the basis of the djinn, being creatures of smoke (or so it seems). Maya and the Psychons will be a forgotten offshoot of Furlings, the shape shifting the same nature as the Builders/Furlings all have.

In keeping with that same theme, the Kimera of Earth Final Conflict in this setting are also an offshoot of the Furlings with shape shifting.

Due to the great alliance of four races, in this setting Leviathans (and Talyn) have the Stargate ring transport system, though most in that galaxy don't know of them and by this point the Leviathans consider them like we might the human appendix.

My version of SG-10, the astronaut team, will likely show up often on Alpha, particularly after the X-305s, the Eagles from the Space: 1999 are produced.

And now without further ado, Stargate: Moon Base Alpha...


	2. Victor's Moon

Staragate: Moon Base Alpha

Victor's moon

"Moonbase Alpha status report, September 13th, 1999. Day one of the base going online as full operational, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. We are now on our own life support independent of the ones the aliens of the original installation that Moon base Alpha is built around left operational," Helena took a moment to pause, and smile.

Normally her post might have been filled by an air force doctor, like her friend and colleague Dr. Janet Frasier. Yet due to the world of security clearances, those all ready in the known and the precedents set by Dr. Daniel Jackson's involvement with the SGC, allowances have been made so that even the wife of the base commander ends up serving under him as his base's chief physician.

Time to resume recording, it is part of the job after all, "Construction has ceased due to budget cuts which also is another reason why this post is not currently filled by a doctor from the Air Force. Excavation of the alien installation however continues. That being our primary reason for being up here. Dr. Norsturm is leading the work that he hopes, we all hope, fulfills its promise of finding another level down beneath the initial outpost uncovered earlier by Professor Bergman on his first trip to the Moon via an Asgard teleportational artifact. From what Drs. Jacksons have sent up from their work on the translation of symbols found, it is something below us that fills the function a DHD would have with the Stargate discovered in another section of what is now part of our base and now part of main mission."

Switching off the recording, Helena sighed and picked up her comlock that controlled the pressure doors throughout Alpha. No-one wanted to risk an explosive decompression taking out all the sections at once, so every door was a sliding pressure door. Ones unlocked by a comlock, a combination communication, computer lock and atmospheric sensor. It would only unlock a door if it sensed the atmosphere on both sides safely existed.

Not that any of that was on her mind as she walked to Main mission. A large nearly two story affair that was part mission control with a centralized area of desks and computer terminals, steps leading up to where the Commander's office was located and steps leading down below the main screen leading to the gate room. Off to one side there were steps spiraling up to an observation walkway, a break area to see the surface of the moon.

It was up there that Helena was headed and where her husband's best friend, Professor Victor Bergman stood looking out to what could be considered the bleak surface of the Tsiolkovskiy crater where the alien outpost, and now Moon base Alpha is located at its center. Below in main mission people waited and watched on the main screen as Drs. Balinsky, Nordstrom and Steiner worked their excavation in the lowest chamber found so far since this outpost was first discovered a year ago.

Unlike the rest of the base, they worked in the one-sixth of Earth's gravity not the full gee provided by either the alien technology or the reverse engineered artificial gravity learned from the Orbanians after the teacher exchange program went into operation. They were also in suits as a safety precaution. For though the cavern was pressurized this was all new to humanity's experience especially on the moon. They weren't to the point of trusting alien technology completely, which is one of the major reasons why the base was funded to grow up around what had been found.

Most of the construction funding came from the US, specifically the Stargate program, which was one of the official reasons its command was in the hands of one United States Air Force Colonel, and ex NASA Space Shuttle pilot commander. The other was that same Colonel, John Koenig happened to be an ex student and friend of the man credited with discovering the moon base.

Victor Bergman saw this as benefiting all mankind, and wanted to present it to the world. The proof of extraterrestrials, a grand alliance of four races spanning four different galaxies. Yet as much as he pictures himself as an 19th-century scientist-philosopher-humanist, he does know the realities of his homeland. Patriotic as he is, he knows this would all be turned over to Torchwood should he try to unveil it and it would remain solely the province of Britain.

He didn't think it would be wise to go to UNIT either. Certainly the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce would seem to be the right choice, but he'd worked with them in his long career, just as he had with Torchwood. While friends with the retired Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, a prominent man with UNIT in his day, he didn't think even the both of them had enough pull to keep this under wraps without examining it, exploring it. What he could trust UNIT to do is label either threat or not-threat and putting a guard up at the outpost.

But he knew he should have something man-made to fall back on incase whatever they found ceased to produce life support, even gravity on its own. Victor knew he just didn't have the funds to do it himself.

Enter one ex student, John Robert Crichton, Jr. and his Farscape project. That John wanted Victor's input and it was by seeking out his old mentor and university prof that pointed Victor towards the people he thought could fund what he'd need and yet have an international viewpoint to benefit everyone.

It was a shame he couldn't let John Jr in on the it's existence. He didn't need such things cluttering his mind, Victor had rationalized, not with his experiment and possibly giving humanity a stepping stone to space and maybe even the stars.

So at first had the funding trickling in from the IASA, those he could trust to keep the secret of the alien outpost's existence. He certainly didn't want anyone fighting over it. So those in the know from the International Aeronautics and Space Administration gave an international feel to the personnel on the base, more than the current chief funders the USAF are wholly comfortable with but the international crew were here first. Most recruited by Victor when he first found this outpost after a student brought him to an Asgard artifact located in Europe.

One that teleported the two of them here and acted as the main transport back and forth until Victor realized he couldn't continue studying the outpost on his own so he contacted his friend from NASA, Colonel John Koenig. The rest is now history.

"Seismic activity detected," came the voice of Sandra Benes moments before a moonquake hit, her Burmese accent giving her an exotic crispness to her English. By now most were use to it as they were everyone else's accent with US English the agreed upon language of the base. No one was thinking about accents or origins while the moonquake shook the base. Everyone knew they were possible, and there was evidence of that they happened in the past. In fact it was the likely reason that the Stargate had been buried, or so all the 'experts' were guessing.

It was just enough to cause everyone to stumble, sway in most cases, but in the case of one Dr. Nordstrom it herald an area under him suddenly exploding upwards in a spray of moon dust with the distinctive, for those of the Stargate program proper, transporter rings. They rose up and around Nordstrom where he vanished in a flash of light with the rings sinking back into the ground that gave no indication they had been there before.

Colonel John Koenig came rushing out of his office, waiting only for the double doors separating his office from main mission to part and let him through. On his heels were two more examples of international involvement, both formerly of the IASA, Maggiore Tony Verdeschi from Aeronautica Militare, the air force of Italy and Group Captain Alan Carter of Royal Australian Air Force, and up until recently part of the Farscape project.

Farscape-1 was well off the design process and in fact, Carter was also up on the moon to work out designs for what is tentatively being called an 'Eagle'. It's still being worked out with some of the technology exchanges from off world allies, again mainly the Orbanians.

"Report Paul," John asked as he nearly skipped down the steps from his office to main mission. Helena followed Victor down from the observation walkway. Group Captain Paul Marrow of the Royal Air Force, the air force branch of the British Armed Forces and second in command of the base after John.

"Not a moonquake as we understand them, or rather it appears localize to this base alone," he replied with a calm coolness often associated with the British, turning towards David Kano, like Victor a civilian, "Kano?"

Also like Victor part of the Moonbase Alpha senior staff as the resident computer expert of the moonbase, the Nigerian turned from one of the series of banks for the supercomputer and shook his head, "Selene only confirms that what the quake was, the effect is local and not outside of Tsiolkovskiy crater." He had a cultured way of speaking, hinting at a heavy influence from his time in Britain and as one of Victor's prize students during his time at the universities there.

"Tony? Helena?" John deliberated asked of his wife last to try and show no partiality that everyone knew had to be there.

Helena was already putting her comlock away, while Tony still held his, "Medical is on standby and I have a team on the way."

"Same here John," Tony added and showed how much everyone was working towards running this like an IASA facility and not a military base with the jumble of not only different ranks and ratings from different militaries, but civilians who actually might give someone with rank back in their own military, orders.

Tony's comlock beeped for attention and he read a text message on the tiny screen, "Security is suited up and on the way down now." He didn't bring up the thought he saw on John's face, the wish that SG-10 were up here as the former astronauts had the most suit time and experience, especially since they had become the new SG-10.

"Let's go down there, Tony. Paul you have main mission," John smoothly handed command of the essentially mission control to Group Captain Paul Morrow of the Royal Air Force, which just thinking there was an example of the mix. Paul was technically second in command, Alan third, Tony fitting in after that. With Victor able to have his word for the civilian contingent made a command structure John could live with though he knew the brass back in Washington wasn't happy about it.

By the time they arrived at they arrived at the air lock separating the excavation site and the man-made structure of Moonbase Alpha, the lead archeologist borrowed from the SGC, Dr. Cameron Balinsky, was cycling in. "Commander," he began as that was the agreed upon title and rank John would hold, as an astronaut rather than military leader, "Now that I know what to look for I can locate the rings again. Unfortunately I haven't found the controls to it yet."

"Cameron, you're exhausted, take a break," Helena advise with a hint of an order. She pitched her voice deliberately that way to keep deal with the man's self imposed guilt for coming out now instead of continuing to look. "You know it's hard wearing those suits and takes a lot out of a person. Give your body time to rest, rehydrate and I'll let you go back in there."

Tony plucked his comlock off his belt the moment he heard it signal him, "Verdeschi go..."he listened while John was adding his own urgings to Dr. Balinsky to go rest, "John, everyone...Nordstrom is back and he's telling my people that he's not only found something big, he's found someone."

John didn't even wait to suit up, it was a precaution only anyway. Tony, Helena and Cameron followed him through the air lock and into the large chamber being excavated. James Nordstrom just stood right where he had vanished, his helmet in his hand and not on his head.

"She...she wants to talk to you, Commander," he simply said with an awed tone to his voice, "As for you by name, Commander Koenig."

"She?" Tony asked before John did with Nordstrom nodding absently.

"That's about as best I can make out from the tone of voice she uses. He's huge Commander...eight feet tall, looks like some cross between...I'm not sure what, I guess a four-armed crustacean, but nothing really like what we have on Earth..." John's comlock signaled for attention and Victor's face was on its screen.

"Wait for me John, I want to be there for this," and the signal closed causing John to smile with the thought of his mentor and friend racing to join them. It's the old man's enthusiasm for science that hooked a young John Koenig to the field of astrophysics. He made it exciting, you wanted to learn more after listening to him speak.

"You know John, this isn't like that show Star trek, I really think its a bad idea for the senior staff to go all at once to face the unknown," Tony cautioned having only recently seen the science fiction show. He'd heard about it of course, but it wasn't until his life started to live like something out of it that he made time to watch it.

"Which is why you, Alan, Paul are all staying here," he could see that look in Helena's eyes, she wanted to come and she'd followed him this far up to a moon base over an alien outpost. At this point, talks of wanting her to stay safe died on the tongue.

Steiner was helping Nordstrom towards the airlock where Helena's deputy, Dr. Bob Mathias, yet another former student Victor Bergman 'corrupted' to turn his studies and career towards space. He never expected to actually -go- into space, not in his life time. Just hoped to help pioneer space medicine, unlike Helena's third in seniority physician Dr. Ben Vincent. The Californian African-American had hoped to one day go up, though he was equally surprised as his Jamaican superior when 'one day' actually came.

Both had caught what Tony had said, though Bob was focusing on helping to maneuver a dazed and space suited Nordstrom out to a waiting gurney, Ben smiled at Helena, letting them both know her next words were hardly serious, "You know, perhaps the head physician shouldn't lead the way. I'm thinking of someone less senior could take her place at the last moment..."

Helena mock rolled her eyes and shook her head, put her hand on her hip, and pointed to the airlock, "Go, Ben. I'll be back, just don't lose anyone while I'm away." John had to smile, most didn't think his wife had a sense of humor, but he'd been privileged to seeing it more than once in their marriage.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," he continued to smile and help Bob guide their patient. It did lighten the mood, which became practically buoyant once Victor arrived. No-one tried to talk him out of going, just about everyone on base who wasn't from the SGC were students of his at one time or another. All of them catching his dream of space and taking off with it.

John, Helena, and Victor walked to the middle of where Nordstrom vanished, looking up at the camera that Main mission had been monitoring. Then just as suddenly as with Nordstrom the rings burst up out of the moon dust and in a matter of seconds, the three of them, then the rings, were gone.

Rings rose out of a proper station, light flared and the three saw a new chamber. One that gave them the impression of something living, yet also something mechanical. In front of them lay open a huge door, or that is what they would think of it as, to their eyes it appeared to be a roundish moving wall. Beyond it was an enormous chamber where something moved in the distance.

"Come Commander Koenig. It is time we talk," a decidedly feminine voice called out to them and the three walked forward. John and Helena hand in hand as they found the door lead to not so much a chamber but a cavern it seemed. They were now walking onto a bridge towards where a large four-armed crustacean-like creature 'sat' behind a console. Her arms reaching in an almost constant motion touching some panels that rose, others that fell.

"Greetings. I am called Keeper and I am the caretaker of this place. Welcome new aspirant for the appellation of the fifth race."


	3. Man in the Moon

Man in the Moon

"Moonbase Alpha status report, September 13th, 1999, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, we had stood there staring, likely gaping at the huge life form that we described as roughly crustacean, but is like none that ever lived on Earth in recordable times. Calling himself Keeper, his four arms did not seem to stop moving as he operated panels that we could not phantom the functions of. Each of us, Commander John Koenig, Professor Victor Bergman and myself believed we might find out the purpose of the alien outpost on the far side of Earth's moon."

"Appellation of the fifth race?" Victor asked with an excited tone to his voice that most had come to know meant he was deeply interested in the subject at hand, "Fifth race to what?" Then he thought back to what he was told by Dr. Daniel Jackson when he and SG-1 had come after he contacted one of his brightest students, Samantha Carter, about his discovery of the alien outpost last year.

"So the four great alliance of races?" he hurried on to answer his own question, the Keeper looking on with large expressive, yet utterly alien, eyes. "SG-1 told us that the main chamber we discovered ...those languages to four corners. The Asgard Colonel O'Neill met, the Nox, the Furlings and the Ancients, am I right?"

"You are," the Keeper simply said, his massive head turning to look at indicators the humans could discern what they symbolized.

John felt like he had to ask the obvious, knowing a wrong guess could be disastrous, "So you are in league with the four races?"

"Yes, Commander Koenig. I was brought here and installed in this outpost to care for him by the four."

"Him?" Victor was glad John picked up on that as quickly as he did and could see in Helena's eyes she had as well.

"He is a living facility Commander Koenig, called Chandra Somnath Myoporum Laetum. He is all around us Commander and you have built your moon base around and over parts of him. But do not fear Commander Koenig, Chandra is not offended at all. He believes it shows how far your people have come to the potential hinted at long ago."

"Commander," Tony's voice came from John's comlock, which he then plucked off his belt. It was only Tony's tone that kept a biting remark from coming out of John's lips.

"There are these...things starting to move about up here. Small roundish yellow, I'd like to say beetles, but that's just by implication...John, they're all over the place."

"What are they doing Tony?" John asked grateful that Keeper did not seem to mind the pause in conversation, Victor did, but he wasn't going to take over the conversation as much as John sensed he wanted to push onward for answers, or more information.

Tony did pause, considering precisely what the 'bugs' were doing, "Cleaning? Some have like a miniature bulldozer blade extended out in front of them and are scraping off moon dust from the floor, ceilings and yes, walls."

"What are they Keeper?" John decided to ask directly, while the Keeper didn't volunteer an answer having obviously overhead the conversation that didn't mean he might not answer a question put to him.

"DRDs, Commanders. Some are Diagnostic Repair Drones others are Defense and Repair Drones. I am directing them to clean the chamber for reception. A summit will be called and Chandra would like it if he looks presentable for those attending."

Both John and Victor latched onto two different kinds of drones, Helena noticing that both were Repair, with the two men simultaneously saying, "Defense?" and "Diagnostic?"

"Yes Commander, Professor," Victor looked surprised at the Keeper's addressing him for the first time by a title, "Both are used for Chandra's upkeep, and some for a show of force." She seem to notice they paid extra attention to that last part of her explanation, concluding they wanted more information, "As you know Commander the universe can be an unfriendly place, quite hostile at times. It was decided that Chandra have some means to defend himself in the event that any of the visitors to this diplomatic outpost to discourage any thoughts towards aggression."

"Diplomatic?" again the men sounded nearly like a duet.

"Yes, diplomatic. All four races had met on Earth, while their formal alliance was formulated elsewhere, this outpost was set up as the eons went by and the planet engendered other visitors that came."

"Like the Goa'uld?" John ventured wondering if they were 'allowed' to this outpost.

"No longer Commander. They were bared from this outpost thousands of your years ago. There was a recent incursion by them here, but it was only two and they only used the rings to arrive and the Stargate to leave shortly thereafter. I'm afraid over the eons the care and upkeep of Chandra has taxed even my care. Of late we decided to hibernate and were only just woken up by the two Goa'uld and then after Commander Thor's visit and with the Professor's presence last year we decided to remain fully conscious."

"By diplomatic, does this mean that Chandra will not defend Earth if threatened?" John had already guessed the answer to that, with the Goa'uld having arrived to bomb humanity back into the Stone Age nearly two years ago, Earth's only defense had been SG-1 and their unorthodox method to blow up the two motherships that had come.

"Correct Commander. We are here only to provide a place to meet and discuss matters as well as provide a joint database for those of the alliance. If you do qualify to be the fifth race, then you will be given access to certain parts of that knowledge. What you would normally understand."

"So as to not stunt our growth as a civilization," Victor ventured with the Keeper actually nodding in the manner of humanity. "Yes, Professor Bergman."

"Now what about this summit you mention?" it was the one thing Helena latched onto as it meant that others may be coming to visit the outpost and by extension the moon base over it.

"Since humanity has made it to the outpost, previous applicants for the appellation of the fifth race will arrive to see the latest applicant, this will also be an opportunity for a moderator to see how the previous applicants have come as well as greet the latest one to the greater intergalactic community."

"Intergalactic," the duet had become a trio as Helena joined in with surprise.

"Yes, I am here not only to care for Chandra Somnath Myoporum Laetum, but also to dial out the eighth chevron in order to reach other galaxies. I may also communicate over such distances. Chandra is here not just because of his long life span of which I am tied to, but to power intergalactic gate travel."

"So some of these previous applicants are coming from other galaxies?" Victor was clearly excited by the prospect, Helena and John couldn't help but grinning with the older man's enthusiasm.

"You mentioned moderator, will it be one of the four from the alliance?" again Helena picked up on a facet the men had either missed or decided to focus on other aspects of what was being talked about.

"I believe the Nox will send a moderator this time," those same expressive golden eyes now seem to frown if they were reading the Keeper's expressions correctly, "Now if you will excuse me, Commander, Professor, Doctor, I need to focus on getting Chandra ready for visitors once more."

It was not as if the swinging wall, as the three humans perceived the door, had closed, but they had the impression it opened wider to imply they should leave.

"Thank you Keeper. Is there a way to contact you again...other than using the rings to get down here?" John asked as even with the rings he didn't want to violate some alien etiquette by just suddenly showing up.

"Once I have restored the whole of Myoporum laetum than all you will have to do is call out my name. I will look into adapting the Somnath's communication system to interface properly with yours. Now if you will excuse me, I have much to do."

"Commander?" she called out as they were halfway across the bridge, "If you don't mind withdrawing your people from the reception hall, I would like to move more efficiently in cleaning the debris away."

"In other words, get out of the way while you clean up?" Helena said with a smile, and the Keeper nodded, "Precisely, Dr. Russell."

"She knows our names without having introduced ourselves," Victor noted as the wall-door closed behind them, "I suppose she has away of monitoring us, she did mention how she knew those two Goa'uld had used the Stargate after their escape from the exploding Ha'taks."

"Yes, and confirming how Apophis and Klorel had survived when there weren't any other ships to leave the Ha'taks, and with the Stargates on Earth accounted for," John mentioned as they took their place in the middle of the ring transporter.

"Well they could have sent for a cloaked Tel'tak," Victor pointed out an old argument and what had been the primary theory once Apophis was encountered afterwards, "We just didn't know. Now we do and we can move onto more important matters."

"Such as company is coming. I think Keeper is not the only one who should clean up and get ready for visitors," Helena told the two men as the rings brought them back up to the reception hall that was looking more hall than rock encrusted cavern.

"Moonbase Alpha status report, September 13th, 1999, epilogue, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. We now know there is a kind of man in the moon as legends and myths have talked about, even if 'man' is a stretch to what Chandra Somnath Myoporum Laetum really is. We also know that Earth is about to have another meeting of several extraterrestrials, this time hopefully not antagonistic to us. All of us here on Alpha are hoping this is the beginning of getting out from under the bleakness that the Goa'uld threat has hung over all of us like a Sword of Damocles. It lets us be grateful that there really is a man in the moon."


	4. The Snake and the Moon

The Snake and the Moon

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, we have our first soldier contingent up on Alpha. Feelings are mixed about them, but with the budget not available for the installation of an iris like SGC has, a guard for gateroom is a prudent precaution. Due the nature of the base, and its location up on the moon, worries of bullets, penetration and explosive decompression are being addressed by reinforcing the gateroom. What is on some minds are if any incoming threat gets past the gate."

Major Louis Ferretti felt ten feet tall. He was finally -on- the moon. Smiling he still remembered teasing the then Captain Carter about her playing with Major Matt Mason toys, when of course he knew about them as he was one of the many who played with the action figure growing up after it was introduced in the 1966. Now like that action figure's fictional world, he was on the moon.

He'll miss SG-2, as well as catching up with his old CO Jack O'Neill, as well as the rest of SG-1. Dr. Jackson, who he still remembers doubting Daniel with their first trip to Abydos, then denying it after Daniel figured their way home again. He was glad Sha're had been rescued, he wasn't as close as Jack had been, but he knew her since that first trip too.

"So I suppose we'll coordinate on when your people are stationed for gate duty," the voice of his technical superior, Tony Verdeschi, brought him back to the meeting he was attending in the huge Command office, which is often sealed from Main mission by a sliding large doors, though Lou would describe them as sliding walls. He agreed for the need of it, allowing Commander Koenig both privacy and used for command level meetings and discussions with members of staff.

Unspoken is the other reason for the large double sliding door that separate the Command office and Main mission, the ability to protect the Commander in case of an attack. Lou didn't add mentally, in case he failed.

"Tony, how about the ADS, is it installed and ready yet?" John asked Tony as he and Paul were the others around the table in addition to Lou.

"Keep in mind its still under development back on Earth, John," Tony replied, "If it wasn't for the extra insights the Stargate program has with technology a working model would be years before it saw any use. Still will be outside the program..."

"Is that a 'not available' or 'available' Tony?" Paul asked somewhat aggressively, he was both the stereotypical Brit from the others point of view and a quite belligerent one breaking the stoic archetype.

"Available," Tony didn't try to take offense at the pressure. Limited budgets aside, militarization of the base had to be handled carefully now that it's been revealed it functioned as a diplomatic outpost.

"Then let's get that installed as soon as possible. I want that as top priority Tony, and Paul if you can free up anyone in the technical section, do so. We're sitting on a diplomatic stop over point to Earth, and just in case not all of the visitors are friendly, I'd like to discourage any prolonged stays," John paused and looked at each of the men around the table, and nodded once to himself, "Okay people. Let's get to it."

Turning in his seat John pointed his comlock towards the double doors signaling them to part and opening up Main mission for direct access. He joined the others walking up the steps from the 'meeting pit' as he recalled seeing labeled unofficially on a blueprint during construction.

He paused as the others walked past him and his desk, taking the steps down to Main mission where Victor was looking off to the left forward corner below the observational walkway where it was decided Keeper would 'grow' a communications...clamshell, that was all John or anyone could think of it. Paul was trying to discourage the use of the term 'clamcom' in Main mission.

"How does it look, Victor? This will really work?" John asked after strolling down the steps and over to his friend and mentor.

"Hmm? Oh yes John. Biomechanical, not on principles we can understand yet, but it should work. We were able to get a clear passage for Keeper to grow this and the others around the base," Victor replied only some times looking at John.

John was thinking of the placements, and noticed the one for Command office hadn't been grown out of the spot set aside for it, though the one for the Medical center had. From the last report he remembered reading he should get one grown in his office before the one is grown in what others were referring to 'Alan's garage'.

Not a proper hangar yet, nothing in the way of ships, but with the 301 program there are hopes that will change. Of course, Alan still has hopes to get his Eagle design developed enough to put forward for funding. Amazingly enough his studies had come to the attention of Keeper and she had invited him down to her den to talk about an option and possible assistance.

That had Washington happy as so far helpful aliens, those willing to actually assist humanity were few and far in-between.

Satisfied Victor was satisfied, John checked the main screen where on it, SG-10 and 11 were outside working on the Keck III telescope. Victor noticed where John's attention went to and smiled as he went into lecture mode, "Of course, back on Earth, officially there are only Keck I and II, but with the Asgard obelisk and some connections with your NASA, plus the desire to 'spot the enemy' at a distance and we get one of the largest telescopes on Earth, and off it now, to have in our own backyard. What a triumph John."

A special triumph for Victor, John knew as he had brokered for Robert A. Day, W. M. Keck's grandson and current chairman and president of the W. M. Keck Foundation, to be brought in on the know about Moon base Alpha. Disclosure documents later, Robert was able to work out how his foundation could contribute, though it was going to be tricky to keep it hidden. Yet not impossible, as ultimately Keck III would be just the sort of project this American charitable foundation supporting scientific, engineering, and medical research in the United States would do. They just wouldn't say -where- the third Keck telescope was being placed.

Despite having heard it again, like many others around John smiled with Victor's enthusiasm. It continued to be infectious. John just privately wished the same Powers-That-Be that arranged for Keck III would do so with getting an iris on the gate. At least one nice side benefit, getting the adapted construction equipment to assemble an eight story telescope up to Alpha will make the planned expansion to house up to 300 personnel easier.

"Incoming wormhole," Sandra's accented voice broke through John's musings and he found himself pausing as orders were anticipated. The main viewer switched to the Gateroom, the doors separating the Gateroom from Main mission closed and Lou's people were getting into position. Though he really should think of them as Tony's people. After all he really had to push the boys back at Washington to keep let someone from the Italian Air force essentially command soldiers in the US Air Force.

Staff blast came through the event horizon first. Lou deploying his men knowing it was just them between whatever was coming through and Alpha. "Tony, what people you can, get them over here for back up," John ordered, then turned to the others, "On my command, be ready to evacuate Main mission."

He turned to the Burmese woman, "Sandra let the SG teams know we're under attack and to start them back inside, then let the SGC know. Kano..." and John didn't even consider why he was on first name basis for some, but others like David Kano he wasn't, "Have Selene ready to decompress the Gateroom...IF and I mean if Lou and his men don't make it."

There was maybe two Zat'nik'tels, Zats as they were affectionately called, on Alpha, and from the last report at least one was disassembled for study. "Tony...the two Zats either in anything like a working order?"

"Maybe..." he thought back to the research he was conducting, as Doctor Verdeschi, astrophysicist. It was how he got involved up here through Victor who had been his teacher as well. Joining his country's air force indulged his other passion of flying and sense of national pride. That and following family tradition, his older brother Guido was now a Colonnello, their father a Generale di Divisione Aerea (Major General).

He didn't follow so much the piloting fast track, though he was a fair pilot, than he did the R&D portion. His country already has one of the most powerful air forces in Europe, Tony wanted to keep them on top with several cutting edge weapon systems.

Right now he hoped his work hadn't deprived Alpha of an alternative weapon to use on the base. Taking off in a dash, he used the right of the two open exits flanking the Gateroom door under the main monitor. If both Zats were disassembled, maybe he could put one back together again in time to be useful.

Lou saw one, two, three men go down as Horus guards came walking into the Gateroom, a staff blast catching him in the shoulder and spinning him around. He was the last to go down and while he knew two of his people took out two of the four guards, they were down. Lou couldn't account for the continued staff blast before consciousness slipped from him…likely the Gateroom door leading back up to Main mission.

What John saw were his men going down and felt on his lips the order to decompress the Gateroom when he saw more staff blast and a robbed Jaffa, like what John had seen Teal'c sometime wear or Master Bra'tac. However he wore no armor like Bra'tac had, he was just robbed and carrying a staff weapon.

Everyone saw him shoot one, then the other Horus guards that preceded him, then spin his staff to strike first one then another guard that had followed him, the Gate closing down a moment later.

"Si'nu!" he shouted and slowly laid down his staff weapon onto the floor, then raised his hands up into the air, "Cal mah! Cal mah!"

Heads turned to Sandra, John's wasn't one of them, but she had his ear, "Wait...and sanctuary." He knew she had studied what the SGC sent up about the Goa'uld-Jaffa language that Drs. Jackson, both Daniel and Claire, as well as Sara Kozak had gathered in the last two years. "Sir, I think he's asking for sanctuary."

Tony was back without a Zat, but he and two of his men were armed with ARWEN 37's, Tony and his man Dreese pouring out of the right northern entrance to Main mission, his other man Getchell whipping around out of the left. Dreese was at the unenviable position of right in front of the doors leading to the Gateroom, albeit looking down the shallow amount of steps that lead down to it. Tony and Getchell, to the right and left, were aiming down at the door as well.

"I think it's alright Tony..." though John hadn't said for him to stand down, "I think we have a Jaffa defector."

Once Helena and her team were done, the aftermath were two dead, three wounded counting Louis Ferretti. One Jaffa -priest-, that was a new one, in what approximated as a holding cell for now, and six dead Horus guards.

"I'm sorry to have to ask so soon," and letting his eyes apologize for pulling her away from the wounded to get the answers he now asked of her, "How is our Jaffa priest?"

"If you're worried about a booby trap like SGC had encountered before, I didn't find anything like what had been encountered," she did understand, and it wasn't as if Bob or Ben couldn't handle the three survivors of the attack while she made sure Alpha wasn't threatened.

"How was the scanner I sent up, Dr. Russell?" the face of the Keeper appeared between the open clamshell communicator that stuck out of one corner in the medical center. Helena was grateful she had convinced Keeper to use a shortened version of her hyphenated name.

Ben smiled even as he finished attending to one soldier, it had been his chance to go down and see the Keeper, a real live alien life form. When the Keeper had called earlier, the Californian was quite 'eloquent' with stating how she was too busy with important work to spare the time and stressed delegation was a hallmark of a good leader.

Spotting Ben's smile, she first returned it then raised an eyebrow in silent near reproach. Ben quickly focused back on the task at hand.

"It works wonderfully, thank you for it and the help with the analysis," Helena formally thanked her.

"If I may see the Jaffa once you have a moment, I would like to ask him why he no-longer wishes to follow the Goa'uld," the Keeper requested, "Chandra is also curious and we'd like to satisfy our curiosity if it presents no difficulties on your part Commander."

"No Keeper, that shouldn't be a problem at all," John replied arranging the logistics in his mind. He'd received a 'Thank you Commander' before Keeper's image vanished from the clamshell.

It was only a turn in place to see the make-shift holding cell. Medical center's sealed observation room would not have been his first choice, but choices were not many at the moment. Alpha still had much on the blueprints that hadn't made it to reality yet. So off to their right stood a guard, Victor and Tony, the latter having heard, unlike the Professor who kept talking with the man beyond the transparent thick plastic window taking up half the wall.

"So you want me to arrange escort, John? A formal debrief is likely to take place back on Earth. SGC or Area 51," Tony bit off the 'your' part of listing Area 51 from tumbling out from his lips. They were all in this together, it wasn't right to throw it in John's face that the US military had jurisdiction.

"Yes, Tony, you do that," John answered hoping that Tony had reassembled at least one Zat. Right now the only other weapon to use beyond the Gateroom were the Anti Riot Weapon ENfields that were shipped up. The 'less-lethal' launchers fire 37 mm less-lethal rounds of foam or wooden or tear gas payload. Tony had them loaded with foam, with tear gas as the next rounds to go in.

Tony's dream of an Earth-made Zat'nik'tel was still that...a dream at the moment. Yet like the amateur brewer's beer, John knew he would just keep at it until he got it right.

"Victor, if we can break in," John knew the two men who looked approximately the same age, but likely the Jaffa was far older, seem to get along well. Not that it really surprised John, Victor had that way about him that seems to transcend even alien barriers.

"Certainly John, Tolok is fascinating to talk to," Victor was clearly excited, but for reasons John didn't glean immediately. Presuming his mentor was having a wonderful discussion about philosophies and not what the bombshell Victor dropped on him.

"The priest are not just for religion John," Victor began after telling the Jaffa named Tolok farewell for the moment, "They're the technicians for the Goa'uld!"

John by default of wanting to hear more of what Victor had to say, let Tony and his men escort Tolok to the 'reception hall' of Chandra's and the ring transporter in it.

"You know how Jaffa are taught that what the Goa'uld use is magic," Victor's question John knew was generally rhetorical, a response was appreciated, but not required, fortunately a nod let him continue, "Well that's why the technicians are 'priest'. They do perform a ritual service of course, perform marriages, oversee the implanting of a symbiote, officious things John. However they also act as Technomancers."

Victor could see the word was not a familiar one with his former student, "It is a way of mystifying the technology that some Jaffa have to know about in order to maintain or even repair as needed. Staff weapons, Zat'nik'tels, even their ships, Ha'taks, Tel'taks, they also eventually need tending to and that is what the Technomancers do when not tending to their religious duties."

"You got all of that with only this short chat?" John was awestruck, his humor bubbling up to anchor him back with their conversation, "Maybe you should handle all future interrogations."

"Debriefing John. You interrogate an enemy, debrief a friend and Tolok is a friend. He wants to join Teal'c's cause. He wants freedom for his people, and his family," Victor saw John's surprised look, "Yes family John. Quite a large one. Don't let how old you think he is fool you. He only looks my age, John, he's lived long enough that he's fathered twelve children, has fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren."

"They're on Chulak right now," Victor volunteered the answer to what he presumed John's next question was going to be, "But he doesn't think that planet will remain safe, and he chose now to leave Heru-ur's service because he knew he couldn't keep that fact hidden for long. He was actually cut off from joining them, and when he found out about the planned reconnaissance to search for Apophis, he joined this party to hopefully find us, the Tau'ri."

"How would finding Apophis lead him to us?" John asked not quite following his mentor's logic.

"Tolok said that Heru-ur found the address to where Apophis had come from after his escape from his exploding Ha'tak and his priests have a procedure to read addresses off a gate. So this party of Jaffa were to... what is the term, 'recon by fire'?"

"Commander," it was much later when Keeper's face came over the clamshell in John's office, "Chandra and I wish to extend an offer to Tolok for him and his family to stay with us. We're already growing quarters for them as we understand his family is quite extensive."

John just sat there a moment looking at the translucent image. This was not welcomed news, not as far as the Pentagon was concerned. During the time Tolok was down talking with the Keeper, John had to field several calls from the SGC but with the tone of the Pentagon and NID. They wanted Alpha to send down the 'Snakehead', the less-than-precise, if not accurate, nickname for anything with a symbiote, to place him into their care.

'Care' was something John didn't think Tolok would get.

However with the importance of the alien outpost and hopefully finding allies, their goodwill will likely be enough for their request for Tolok to remain is granted. Not that it appeared Chandra was considering it a request if he was already growing quarters. The call from General Hammond relayed the welcomed news. Security would still be an issue, but a precedent had been set by Teal'c, Drey'auc and Rya'c.

He'd let Victor break the news to Tolok, and it didn't surprise John to find the two were already together talking up on the observation walkway above Main mission.

John left the two of them up there, walking slowly down the steps to Main mission. He was looking forward to downtime tonight, pushing aside the two deaths, the threat of Heru-ur sending more Jaffa through the gate, and not knowing when to expect the first alien delegates to arrive now that the diplomatic outpost was 'open for business' again. Right now John just wanted his wife in his arms and to relax as the moon continues its orbit around the Earth.


	5. Visitors

Visitors

"Moonbase Alpha status report, thirty-two days after contact with Chandra, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. We are finally at the day when visitors from several extraterrestrial civilizations will arrive. Since the base is mainly an outgrowth of the SGC, the US has invoked its right to clamp down on disclosing the summit to the various nations who have nationals unofficially apart of the personnel of Alpha. Reminding them that they came here for Victor not for any government and remain only by permission of Stargate Command and by extension the US government. Tensions have cooled during the weeks of that announcement, with excitement growing after the Keeper announced when several of the delegates would be arriving. So far President Keller has agreed with General Hammond and left Commander Koenig to represent Earth advised by Ambassador Joseph Faxon with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Arthur Simms. And so Alpha is adjusting to the many visitors being received, from both Earth and off of it."

"How do I look?" John asked his wife feeling odd not in the agreed upon base uniform that was to placate those not from the US or the United States Air Force. Suggested by Victor to give more a sense of unity, John agreed it did provide solidarity especially after the edict of non-disclosure was opted for by the US government. Now he stood in his dress blues, ribbons and awards on his jacket and asking his wife if he was presentable to aliens who likely didn't have any notion of what wasn't presentable among humanity.

"Well you already know I love a man in uniform," came the provocative quip as Helena rose from her chair and walked up to her husband, "You look fine John. It's not like anyone has an intergalactic version of 'Miss Manners' to consult."

"I'm more worried about the ones who do here from home. Ambassador Faxon and Secretary Simms both seem accommodating, but I can't help feeling that I'm still being judged by them."

"So it's not the visit by SG-1 that is making you nervous?" Helena thought to cut to the core of his insecurity.

"Well they have met so many aliens. Done so much in the last three years. I feel so amateurish in comparison to them. They've met so many, brokered a treaty for the defense of Earth by the Asgard, and saved the planet literally two years ago. I think it's understandable that I feel a bit pressured to perform with all the visitors looking over my shoulders."

"Add to the fact that two of the visiting delegates asked that SG-1 be on hand for their visit and I feel...superfluous I suppose."

Helena had sat back down as he started to pace, use to him doing so when he talked out a particular problem that bothered him.

"At least Keeper did tell us who were coming," she decided to point out some of the better aspects of the day, "We didn't know who for weeks, only that the previous candidates had numbered twelve before us."

"Making us a baker's dozen. Victor would say that would be meaningless to them, I know, and so would being the thirteenth applicant. What do they know of unlucky numbers?"

Knowing her husband merely wanted to clear his mind, she said nothing until she would notice a pause in the flow of his outspoken thoughts. Perhaps focusing on what mattered, "We know the Nox, the Oannes, the Re'tu, Vorlons, and the Yautja, though the last is not so much a candidate but a species most of the others know...which by the way is something Stargate Command didn't realize the implications of with the Yautja."

John slowly nodded his head as he realized what Helena was alluding to, and turned towards her as he realized what it meant, "They're intergalactic."

Helena was nodding her smile mostly in her eyes, "Victor mentioned the possibility to me at lunch when you had your teleconference with General Hammond. The fact the other races from other galaxies know of the Yautja and not by this outpost suggest that they must be a people they encounter in the home galaxies."

Stress vanished as John smiled and thought back to the last conversation he had with Victor about the other races, "It seems to be a common theme among the delegates, most of them are from other galaxies, not just other solar systems from around our own galaxy. In fact another implication Victor was able to glean from talks with Keeper is that the Nox are not native to this galaxy at all. What SG-1 encountered at P3X-774 was like a colony or settlement."

"Which may mean the Oannes, the Re'tu, and Vorlons are also intergalactic," John went on to suggest stopping as he noticed caution in his wife's eyes.

"I don't think we should assume that John. We just don't know, and Keeper hasn't indicated either way with them. We shouldn't..."

"Theorize beyond the data," he completed an old axiom of Victor's. It was one thing to guess, to hypothesize, but blind theories could either be right on the money, or too far from reality that it could hurt instead of help.

Getting back on topic of visitors to come, "Alright, we've gone over the knowns, the unknowns are the Chip-chap-tiqulk, the Drakh, the L'gharuakeggn, the Pak'ma'ra, the Taelons, the Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli and the Vedrans."

"Right, with the Chip-chap-tiqulk and Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli in theory have likely visited Earth in the past judging from their names as they exist in some Earth cultures," John remarked grateful for the nudge to matters that he really should focus on. "Keeper was willing to tell us all but the Drakh and L'gharuakeggn has visited Earth before. Out of the candidates two of which she won't say are either are no longer around or just have not responded to her transmissions."

"John," came the familiar voice of Tony Verdeschi but not from a familiar place. John's comlock was on a nearby table instead of clipped, holstered as some deemed it, on his belt. It just wasn't practical with his Air Force dress uniform. It just took two steps to retrieve it however, "Yes, Tony."

"SG teams one, eight, nine and ten have arrived," Tony reported with relief. One rumor he was glad to put to bed was the one that General Hammond might feel it was best if he came up here to help represent Earth's interest. While Colonel John Koenig had only been under his command for just over a year, he had picked up enough to know that Major General George Hammond wouldn't undercut his confidence by showing up.

"See? He trusts his people, and you should trust his judgment. He's been at this for a little while longer than you have and..."she led with a tone she knew he would complete.

"This is not his first barbeque. He knows how this goes and trusts me to do what I need to do."

Together husband and wife left their quarters and walked to main mission, taking the time to further practice the mask of confidence that John knew he had to wear on his face and Helena on hers for him.

"Colonel O'Neill."

"Colonel Koenig."

Salutes exchanged, and greetings all around with what seemed a crowded main mission. From what little body language Jack was giving off John judged he wasn't any more comfortable in dress blues than he was. Major Carter seems to be relaxed though. The illusion of comfort in their dress blues varied with the other visiting SG teams.

Lieutenant Colonels J. Guy Robinson and Steve Austin were hard to read. Both were heads of their SG teams, eight and ten respectively. Guy he knew as they were both students under Victor, Guy a bit senior than he was, Steve flew more than one space shuttle mission with John when they both were at NASA including the one shuttle mission that started all the astronauts on that ride on a path that lead to them joining the SGC.

Out of the Majors among the teams, the only stranger was Don West of SG-8. Tony Nelson and Roger Healey he knew from NASA, also flown with on the space shuttle, astronauts being a small circle of professionals and they were also on his crew when they flew up on a mission that ended up rescuing SG-1. Captain Jeb Walker did look uncomfortable but only to an experienced eye.

The civilian mixture of the teams, Drs. Daniel Jackson, Doug Phillips, Tony Newman, and Samuel Beckett were all in suit and ties like the Ambassador and Secretary of Defense. The astrophysicist in John had read more than one paper of the doctors, save Jackson. Archaeology a passing interest at best and that was only from his university days under Victor. He smiled thinking of another old axiom, 'To understand the future, we sometimes should look to the past'. It would come up whenever some student asked why they should study ancient astronomy or sciences that had a 'limited' understanding compared to what we know today.

Right now the inspiring Professor was busy talking with the small clump of former favorite students, Sam, and Guy. Likely catching up with what they've seen out on missions. John briefly wished he could join in on -that- conversation.

He imagined quite a few might wish to listen in on the conversation the Jaffa were having. Since his arrival and then of his large family, Tolok had remained down in Myoporum laetum, or 'the Tree' as some have opted to refer to Chandra's structure as oppose to biomechanical entity himself. Though so far everyone was hard pressed on defining where he began and the tree ended. None of which explains the Somnath part of his name no matter how much Victor pursed with his attempts to find out.

Fortunately for crowd control alone, Tolok's family remained in the tree, or the Somnath as Keeper or Tolok had said more than once. The way the used the word would indicate housing, structure, yet they also equally interchange the word with the 'tree' part of Chandra. John just had to conclude this was going to take a while to figure out.

"Ready John?" Alan asked, the RAAF Group Captain in his dress uniform as were the two others in main mission, Group Captain Paul Morrow of the RAF and Major, rather Maggiore Verdeschi of the Aeronautica Militare, the Air Force of Italy. The rest of the staff were dressed not in suit and dresses of western culture but as much as possible, a display of their home country's cultures. It was Victor's idea to show the richness and diversity of humanity, or the Tau'ri as the humans of Earth seem to be known out in the galactic or even intergalactic community.

"Yes, Alan I think I am," he replied with Jack O'Neill nodding as well, and adding, "Let's get this shindig going then."

"Certainly Colonel O'Neill," came the surprisingly female voice of the Keeper from the one piece of technology that looked out of place in main mission, a clamshell like object supported from an arm out of the left northern corner of Main mission. Keeper's face appeared briefly in it and those who hadn't seen her before expected a more human face to go with the feminine voice.

Moments later Keeper was back on the clamshell, actually the image of her face appeared to project between the open 'clamshell' like a hologram that one could see slightly see through, "All of have been contacted, not all will be staying."

"Wait, stay? As in they are not visiting for a short time," Jack O'Neill didn't like surprises, and this news fell under the 'surprise' category.

"None of the alliance members will stay, Colonel. They do like to visit to consult with Chandra 'face-to-face' I believe the expression from your people would state. To get his impression of candidates and 'current events'. Now some of the candidates may chose to stay for a time. Keep in mind they are only passing through your moon base. Save for the alliance representative, the rest are here to present themselves to Chandra. This presentation may last a minute, an hour, or even days or weeks."

"Incoming wormhole," Sandra announced, dressed in a traditional longyi, which is a style of sarong and an eingyi, which is a kind of blouse or shirt. She was use to the heavy and elaborate headdress, which mystified the others around her how easy wearing it she made it appear.

"Selene matches the address as friendly Commander," Kano added, like Sandra, he was dressed more traditionally from his homeland, in a buba, sokoto, and like on festive occasions, an agbada. A wide armed piece of clothing, usually with a V-shaped neck, and long enough to reach the floor. Also like Sandra he wore something on his head, unlike her the round cap called a fila wasn't heavy.

"You can ID incoming wormholes?" Jack asked incredulously, and tones of 'and why isn't this being shared?' in his expression since it wasn't in his words.

"Selene is doing that, Colonel," David Kano interjected proudly, "She and Chandra share data, but it has to be in real time. Neither Keeper or Chandra will allow a file copy to exist within Selene." It also meant that the ID system was not always under Alpha's control.

John new it was a compromise, charity really as neither Chandra nor Keeper needed the Gate to be guarded against hostiles. This let them either know a friendly was coming in, or is prepared in case an unknown or known hostile might be using this Gate as oppose to the SGC's.

Since hostility was not something John wanted to appear by having Lou and his men in the Gateroom, so as much as it bothered him armed men were not in the Gateroom. So another compromise, one more on Keeper's part than anyone on Alpha. DRDs were in the Gateroom, Keeper assured them saying that it won't appear that unusual as when the Re'tu visit the DRDs would be there. Why they would, John or even Victor didn't get an answer. They would have to find out when the day came. It just wouldn't be today.

John saw Jack's eyes widen with surprise and Daniel's mouth seem to drop open as the first two aliens walked through the event horizon. "I present Xe-ls and T'akaya of the Chip-chap-tiqulk," Keeper announced to the assembled and it turned out that SG-1 were not the only one startled to see the other.

"Colonel O'Neill?" Xe-ls asked baffled, "It is your race that may be the fifth one?" T'akaya took on air of offense, and to both Jack's and John's sensibilities, whatever version of an alien 'huff' of indignity. Xe-ls looked as he was split upon thinking this would be a good thing or not, T'akaya appeared offended and quickly lead Xe-ls forward and then realized she didn't know where she was going.

"Lead us to the rings," she demanded of John, who was -not- O'Neill in her eyes and therefore someone she was willing to talk to. O'Neill was the one willing to deal truthfully with the Salish, but she still didn't trust anyone from the SGC. She hadn't quite connected Alpha as under the authority of the humans she believed were ready to betray them in an instant.

John had other ideas, "Ambassador, if you would escort our guest. This is Ambassador Joseph Faxon, and this is Secretary of Defense, Arthur Simms." Everyone noted neither visitor deign to introduce themselves.

Xe-ls bowed, and then followed Faxon out, T'akaya only turned and trailed behind them.

"I take it they still are upset about the deception attempted last year?" Arthur had heads to rolling over that one, more so after reading how the Re'tu were watching that incident. Showing two possible allies that they might be lied to is not the way this Secretary of Defense intends to have 'Tau'ri' reputation out in the galaxy. Like many others, he had to smile thinking about that phrase. How it does sound like something Hollywood would have written for him and yet it was so true. His mind was brought back to the present by Dr. Jackson and what he had to say.

"This is very interesting," Daniel began, his tone catching Victor's attention. John chided himself for the unkind comparison to sharks and blood in the water. Victor and Daniel were both drawn to new data just as inexorably as the aforementioned carnivores. Being just as needed, if not more so, than food...infovores. Very hungry infovores. John hoped no one misconstrued his smile for anything else but a man very humored by what he was witnessing.

"Its a Salish legend," Daniel went on heedless to John's unspoken thoughts, "Hah-ah' eel-me'-whem, the great Spirit Chief, called the Animal People together, now keep in mind that Animal People meaning spirits, like what we encountered the Salish on PXY-887 believe. The Animal People are called Chip-chap-tiqulk collectively." He was pleased to see Jack's eyebrow climb in surprise, about as much as he could expect from the leader of SG-1.

"I have received a reply to Chandra's call and we should expect another visitor today," Keeper informed Main mission before her image winked out from between the clamshells.

They were in the Command office when they heard Sandra's voice, "Incoming wormhole." Everyone rose and followed John up the stairs and then down them to Main mission, down another set to the Gateroom.

It had not escaped Jack's attention that during the talk around the table that Joseph Faxon and one Major Samantha Carter seem to be hitting it off well. Alan Carter noticed this too and wasn't sure what to think about this possible suitor for his cousin's affections. Politicians not high on his scale of life forms one should associate with and Alan saw himself as a pretty easy going bloke.

Right now he was adjusting his tie more in reaction to Secretary Simms doing the same right after he adjusted his glasses. He had a habit of letting them slide down his nose and then tilting his head either forward or back to look through them instead of pushing them back up the bridge of his nose.

Both men just stopped and stared at what, who everyone had to remind themselves, walked through the event horizon next. John noted that SG-1 had a particularly stunned expression on their faces. As for one John Koenig he was thinking that the...person walking through reminded him of an old series of monster movies about the Creature from the Black Lagoon...only this one is wearing a garment of some kind, though to John's eyes it looked tattered, more strewed onto him than worn.

"Uhm...Nem?" Daniel spoke up first finding his voice before anyone else. Apparently that was his name as he inclined his head briefly.

"What...fate...Sha're?" he asked as if the words were painful, and as far as Daniel knew, they were. Nem had lost his mate to the Goa'uld centuries ago and thought Daniel knew her fate. It was a question he asked often and when they both were able to divine the answer, it wasn't the one Nem wanted to hear.

However, it did not mean he didn't care.

"Sha're is saved. We are together again," Daniel replied quietly, thinking how close he came to her fate ending similarly as Nem's mate had.

"I can't help but notice how you looked daggers into Nem's back Colonel," John commented after Faxon had led Nem off to Chandra's reception hall, "Anything I should know about?"

"Jack..."

"Daniel," and no-one missed the exasperation, the anger, which not one of them thought Jack directed at the archeologist.

"That thing made us think you were dead," and John could understand Jack's anger, so could Victor and Alan as everyone just let the quiet after that declaration act as its own balm to the heat within SG-1's leader.

It was still on their minds many hours later after it was well into anyone's definition of night. John, Victor, Paul, Tony, Alan and Helena sat around that very same table SG-1 had earlier today.

"The good news, beyond no interstellar diplomatic incidents is that we won't have to put on that dog and pony show 24/7," John announced re-reading his print out again, "It has been decided by Secretary Simms that unless a visitor makes arrangements ahead of time, we will not have to stand at the ready to receive diplomatic envoys we aren't sure which are coming. We also shouldn't expect visits from Earth to be here for that purpose."

"That's a relief. There were times I thought the alien visitors were going to start shooting at the SG visitors and vise versa," Tony spoke for the rest of them, they had noticed how tempers were high with one group or the other.

"What we need, is a fresh start, John," Victor threw in his opinion about today's events.

"Washington agrees with you Victor. They don't want any previous baggage to affect developing relationships with possible allies and they're hoping that if left alone, we'll provide the basis of a relationship that Ambassador Faxon and others can work with." While John tried to relay the message in his own words and tone, most of them could tell which ones weren't his own.

"No pressure..." Paul dryly commented.

"The good news everyone is that from this point forward, Moon Base Alpha gets to make its own impressions on future visitors, and make no mistake there will be more," Victor had rose up and circled the table, everyone else turning in their chairs to follow him as the hint of his lecture's tone crept into his voice, "We aren't the ones going out there with guns, much as the SG teams need to do that. We'll be the ones who will be receiving visiting intelligences that are already willing to reason by fact of trying to qualify for this fifth race status. We have an opportunity to make positive impressions and perhaps start anew with some races, some entities that have only heard of us and know us only by reputation."

"A reputation that isn't always positive, Professor," Alan pointed out.

"But we have to try," Helena affirmed for everyone.


	6. Chappa'ko

Chappa'ko

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, forty-six days after contact with Chandra. Alpha is hosting another visitor of the ones we had been told to expect. Another species the SGC have encountered before, though only earlier this year. Mysterious in his encounter suit, the representative from the Vorlons, Kosh, has spent more time wondering the base than down with Chandra. Saying little, but watching a lot. We can only hope that something positive comes from all of his observations."

"Much like what has come from Alpha's first alien guest, and now resident Alphan. Ever since the Jaffa priest Tolok and his large family had come to live on the moon, Chandra has been more forthcoming with assisting us with our stay over him. Not only is he working with our supercomputer Selene to identify addresses of incoming wormholes, but lately he has shown Tolok something that the elder Jaffa felt that our resident spacecraft designer, Group Captain Alan Carter, wanted to see."

"It is transportation...I think," Tolok remarked in the clearly biomechanical chamber, quite a few Alphans might call a hangar on a particularly wild stretch of Giger's imagination, Alan was thinking that way.

"A transport pod," Keeper announced as her face flared into view at a clamshell near the entrance to this chamber.

"Like the Rings?" Alan hazards a guess.

"No Group Captain," the Keeper replied, Alan not bothering to sigh as he has yet to get her to be informal with him, "It is a method to fly through space."

"A space ship?" the Australian's eyes lit up and he exchanged a look with the smiling Tolok.

"It's not anything Goa'uld. It is smaller than an Al'kesh, larger than a Tel'tak I would say..." Tolok continued to guess as the two moved towards it.

They saw stairs leading up to its interior and soon were exploring the inside of the rust hued vessel.

Doctor Judy Robinson had been up to the moon base many times to work on the life support system that the human base would rely upon instead of what Chandra would provide for them in the diplomatic outpost Alpha was built over to study.

As usual she didn't actually perceive the Asgard beam that observers described as flashing out from the 'gemstone' near the top of the obelisk. One moment she was at Area 51, the next Moon base Alpha. "Hi Helena," she greeted the older woman who had gotten her to use her first name finally. It wasn't as if Judy was particularly formal, nor Helena that much older, it was just Helena was closer to her mother's age than her's. Having parents who stressed manners growing up made their mark with Judy beyond her interest in the sciences.

"Good to see you again, Judy. How are Maureen and the rest of the family?" Helena had briefly gathered the younger woman up in a light embrace and now led her down corridors and stairs to what was called the Reception hall by the Alphans, however they were getting the impression it was actually the 'Somnath' part of Chandra.

Judy only did one double take upon spotting Kosh trailing behind them. She remembered the Vorlon from the summit at the SGC. Judy and Janet had gone over Kosh's life support requirements in the event of an emergency and he had to come out of his encounter suit, or it was damaged. Fortunately neither happened, so she was familiar with Kosh and if Helena didn't seem to mind him following them, Judy wouldn't either. Just act like he wasn't there as Helena was doing.

"Happy despite all the work dumped on her," Judy replied first about Helena's colleague and her mother. She recalled that when Helena was down and consulting at the SGC she had worked along side her mother, "Mom's still working on the Re'tu problem and now on either synthesizing or curing the addiction to roshnah...don't ask," Judy said with a laugh. Trying to explain Aris Boch and his people was not what Judy wanted to spend her time talking about.

It wasn't as if Helena wouldn't understand, she felt that Helena would already know more. Dr. Maureen Robinson was one to ask for help, opinions, when needed. If only for a fresh look on a matter. A trait Helena shared as she kept touch with Drs. Janet Frasier, and Raine Lone Tree-Jackson back at the SGC.

"Now why does Moon base Alpha need a biomedical engineering?" Judy asked after filling Helena in on what her siblings were doing, Penny off teaching the Orbanians, Will with SG-2 and her father still leading SG-8, the Robinsons now were truly a space family.

"You know about Chandra..." Helena began which guaranteed Judy's attention, "...and so far we haven't been allowed to study Chandra, but it appears that a transport he has pointed out to us is also biomechanical."

Helena enjoyed the bomb she dropped, and deliberately took several steps forward when Judy halted in surprise. "Interested?" she couldn't help teasing as she turned around with a small smile playing about her lips.

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, Dr. Judy Robinson has been working with Professor Bergman, Alan Carter and Tolok to study and get to understand what the Keeper has called a Transport pod. They believe they have reasoned out how it works and Alan Carter wants to try and fly it or so he wishes to convince Commander Koenig in an upcoming staff meeting."

"Come on John. This is a step forward to developing our own spacecraft, and I mean something more advanced than your Space shuttle or a Russian Soyuz," Alan pushed in the latest round of cautionary talks.

Like the others, Alan was now use to Kosh in the background and while only Tony bristled with issues of Security, John wanted to show the Vorlon they had nothing to hide. By now Kosh could have been a communications post or other piece of furniture in the background as far as Alan was concerned, he just hope to convince his friend and Commander to let him go through with his proposal.

"Alan we can't grow spacecraft," John began again unsure why Alan had the topic back on the agenda today. To him it was a dead end road of research since they couldn't duplicate biomechanical technology, a point emphasized by Washington after the first report about it was submitted.

"But it can give us practical experience with what we need and what we don't need," Alan said surprising his Commander with his shift of emphasis, "John the work with the Orbanians is going well. This could be a big leap and shave off years of developmental work."

"Years?" Paul couldn't keep the incredulity out of his voice, "But I thought construction for pads were going to start up in a few months. Is this just wishful thinking, expending resources for craft we're not going to have for a few -years-?"

"I could certainly use the diverted work for my rail guns," Tony muttered thinking of the large artillery weapons he wanted to install for the base.

Alan ignored the detractors and focused his Commander, "John, the 301 program is looking promising. Maybe at the end of this year, or sometime next we're going to have a true spacecraft. Which is why the pads are on the schedule for construction," Alan did turn to Paul to address that point before turning back to John with his central one, "I say we get the flight experience we're going to need as well as see what is involved with actual flying in space instead of simulations or what's seen on the telly."

"Tolok will be right there beside me," Alan pressed sensing John's hesitation and he hoped indecision, which would be better than the definite 'no' he'd been getting lately, "He's actually flown and worked on a few Goa'uld ships."

In what seemed typical with politicians John had been getting pressure to fly it from stateside in contrast to not wasting time studying it. Neither notions came from General Hammond directly, but John believed that would only be a matter of time before the orders from on high would trickle down to either fly it or leave it alone. Personally John felt it was always better to have as much control of a situation as possible than let someone else dictate that control.

"Okay...but Judy stays at Main mission to advise you of problems," he saw the relief on Alan's face turning into a smile that would be a chuckle soon if he didn't pull back the reins, "Tolok goes with you, only fly around the crater and back to the pad Chandra grew for the pod." That last bit did mute the chuckle, yet not the smile.

"I don't suppose John I could persuade you to let me go along?" Victor already knew the answer to his own question, but he had to ask.

"Don't worry Professor, once we show how safe and easy it is, I'll take you up on another flight...fact finding one," Alan said to the rest of the table as it would be a first to go 'joy riding' in an alien spacecraft. He caught Judy's eye, "You too Dr. Robinson."

So it was on the fifth flight of the Transport pod that found Alan, Tolok, Victor and Judy flying out and past the Tsiolkovskiy crater.

"I think I am finally getting use to wearing these Tau'ri suits of space," Tolok remark shifting yet again in his orange spacesuit. "Just prudent to wear them as we take our first steps out in the universe," Victor assured the Jaffa whom he saw as a peer. Everyone else on Alpha did as well as the two men looked about the same age, both dealt with technologies or theories in Victor's case that strained most of their understandings.

"We're getting a signal..." Tolok announced ahead of the beeping sound from what passed as a console in front of him and Alan. "...it is coming from what you call the Belt."

"Asteroid belt..." Victor said needlessly out loud, "...an artificial signal from the asteroid belt. John are you reading this?"

"I'm sending for the Commander right now, Professor," Paul said over the open channel. Much like Mission Control with NASA, Main mission would have an open line of communication with the Transport pod.

"Selene is maneuvering the telescope to start a search in that area, Professor," Kano volunteered with his cultured tones in his voice.

"SGC being alerted," another accented voice spoke up, but not the Burmese of Sandra's heritage, instead it was a Japanese one of Yasko Nugami, Sandra now off duty which a part of Alan wondered how that happened. He wasn't going to say Paul and Sandra were dating, but they did seem to catch each other's eye outside of Main mission.

"Do stress we don't know if its hostile, we don't know anything Paul," Victor added hoping to keep everyone from assuming the worst.

"Professor, you're not suggesting you go take a look now?" Paul asked and Tony could imagine from the tone of his voice that Paul Marrow was standing up and leaning forward on his station as he spoke.

"Only way we're going to know Paul, beyond letting it come to us," Victor sometimes appeared as an enthusiastic idealist, and in many ways that summed him up, but he was also cautious about the unknown and like everyone on Alpha, had Earth's defense on his mind. Unlike many idealists on Earth, he knew that much of what was out here -is- out to get them.

"Victor," John's voice signaled his arrival at Main mission, "I'm not crazy about this idea of a reconnaissance..."

"But you know we need to do this, John. There literally isn't anything else that could go and take a look but us," Victor spoke out loud what they both knew already. Even if NASA had a probe out this way it would take months to redirect it to take a look.

"Okay Victor...you have go," John decided, turning to Yasko, "Get ready to dial Earth. When the pod is close enough to whatever it is out there, I want the SGC to hear what we find with no lag time."

"Time to open this baby up..." Alan said pushing forward on the control yoke.

"We track you at ..." and Sandra must have come back since it was her voice from Main mission, "...one percent the speed of light...two...five...eight percent the speed of light...ten..."

"If we get to twenty percent, slow us down Alan and hold it there," Victor suggested, "To be honest I'd love to experiment with relativity but let's stay in time with Alpha just in case something not so agreeable is out there."

"Right Professor," Alan grinned realizing he was going faster than any other human being so far, and forgetting SG-1 had traveled faster-than-light when they rode a Ha'tak over a year ago.

"Getting a return signal...something on the sensors," Tolok read off what perhaps only the people in the pod knew how to decipher. Judy was likely the next best, though Alan was pretty good from experience. Victor just defaulted to their expertise and stuck to thinking of the right questions to ask.

"About four hundred of your meters wide," Tolok continued to read with Judy looking over his shoulder and adding, "I think it's a sphere or ring of some kind."

"Continuing to slow," Alan said more for Main mission than his passengers who barely felt it. Both he and Victor expected a mid-journey turn-around for deceleration. They knew the drive wasn't reactionless, not as they understood it, however no deceleration phase was needed other than to literally slow down to not fly past whatever they were headed for.

"Believe it or not we should be seeing it soon..." Judy mentioned then quieted as they looked at it and Tolok uttered a single word.

"Chappa'ko."

Back on Alpha, Selene had adjusted the Keck telescope and on Main mission viewer they could see it as well.

Tolok called it Chappa'ko and on Alpha John noticed it looked like one central piece of equipment to the SGC, just many times bigger.

"Supergate."

"Whoa!" Alan said flinching with everyone else as something lowered from the ceiling of the pod just within reach of both seats were one could pilot.

"Is that what I think it is?" Judy asked in a hushed tone.

"Professor, is that a DHD?" Alan decided to just ask.

Tolok looked down to the instrumentation in front of him, "There are addresses scrolling, each one has -eight- symbols."

"Eight..." John was the one to remember first and snapped his fingers after pacing back and forth in Main mission, "...eight means another galaxy. About two years ago...Colonel O'Neill dialed eight chevrons and ended up in the galaxy of the Asgard."

"Kano, have Selene pull up that address. Just for comparison..." John ordered and wished they had a telemetry feed with the pod. It was catching sight of Kosh just standing there in Main mission that gave John another avenue to seek answers from.

"Keeper...do you know what this is?"

Her face appeared in the clamshell, "It is called many things Commander, what Nema Tolok called it is as good as any nomenclature. Chandra has decided to call it Chappa'ko from this moment on, though Supergate is an apt term as well. It is a way for ships to pass from galaxy to galaxy. Some addresses are locked out by request. You could not go to the Ida galaxy as the Supergates have been locked out to contain the threat the Asgard are facing."

"Supergates?" Tony repeated with surprise.

"Yes, Maggiore Verdeschi, Supergates as in plural. A network of Supergates had been established in space just as on celestial bodies to facilitate travel, in this case space travel. The Transport pod is able to...dial a number of Supergates, some are in the same galaxy, it will not allow for intragalactic travel however, just intergalactic."

"So we can now go and explore other...-galaxies-?" John wanted to make sure.

"Yes, Commander Koenig. Chandra will allow use of this Transport pod for a time. You must develop your own methods of space travel in order to maintain access to the Chappa'ko. The Transport pods are provided for those of the Grand Alliance and should normally be available for use by them at any time. However we believe the Ancients are unlikely to have need of the one set aside for them, so you may continue to use it for now."

"Well John?" Victor accessed with an air of excitement no one could miss.

"Just take a look Victor and come back. I'm sure they'll be more missions. Better equipped ones," with the President establishing the SG teams, John imagined that he'll support using the Supergate just as he has the Stargate.

Right now he hoped he wasn't about to start something that ended like the first use of the Stargate, "Transport one you have a go."

Main mission didn't have a visual inside the pod, couldn't see Tolok dial the ceiling DHD, each chevron entered with reverence and great meaning. They could see as the Supergate erupted with a huge event horizon.

"We're off to see the wizard..." Alan said pushing the yoke forward with the Transport pod flew into the Supergate, the Chappa'ko.

"And so it begins..." Kosh intoned.

Arthur's note: Introducing the Supergate is my ways of making the moon 'intergalactic' like the show without blowing it out of orbit. Eventually the transport Eagles from Space 1999 will be used as the 305 program. Until then using some Transport pods, possibly other ships.

The Lost in Space family Robinson actually started their crossover in Stargate Wives during season two along with Helena. Maureen and Helena were part of Janet's team of specialist she called in during many 'episodes' that in canon Samantha Carter (who really shouldn't be there) helped with medical matters.

And as corny as the ending was, I couldn't help myself...and no his presence in this chapter was not just for the last line. Like many things, set up for the future as well as establishing him in the story for continuity.


	7. Remembering Family

Remembering Family

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, fifty-four days after contact with Chandra. Group Captain Alan Carter is volunteering to go on a mission with SG-1 to hopefully rescue General Jacob Carter, a cousin of his. Officially his presence has been justified to increase his experience flying in space. With some experience with the Transport pod Chandra is allowing use by Alpha, Group Captain Carter hopes to learn to fly a Tel'tak with an eye of obtaining one on a later mission by a SG team. Privately those of us who know Captain Carter hope he is successful with rescuing his cousin and comes back safely."

Group Captain Alan Carter waited as the Stargate on the base was finished dialing the planet he was to meet up with SG-1 and his cousin Samantha Carter. Since the address to Vorash wasn't an extragalactic one the Keeper only monitored and was not involved with dialing directly. So he listed as Sandra and David monitored the supercomputer Selene as 'she' ran Sam's program that the SGC uses to dial their gate.

"Are you sure about this Alan?" Tony asked for yet another time, he wanted to make sure his friend was certain about what he was getting into.

"Family, Tony, family. True the branch of Carters sort of split off at World War II with one settling in Australia and the others returning to America, but its not like we didn't keep in touch. Imagine my surprise to find Cousin Sam not only knowing John Crichton, of the Farscape project I was involved with, but was part of all of this." He gestured up at the main screen rather than the stairs below it where beyond the Moon base's Stargate now spun as each chevron was locked into place.

"Heard Cousin Jake wasn't doing well from great Uncle Andy, but it wasn't until I was up here and the SGC took over that I found out he's now better with one of those snake things in him...willingly. Takes a bloke back, and its nothing I can tell Uncle Andy about either."

Not knowing that said Andrew J. Carter, retired Technical Sergeant who did serve during World War II, had the clearance due to his special operations in the war, though he didn't have a need to know.

Alan was too busy talking to Alpha's Chief of Security to flinch from the event horizon swoosh that erupted once the seventh chevron was locked. "Now he's in trouble and Sam's off to go get him..."

"So you're going to join them going to...Hell isn't it?" Tony looked incredulous though after meeting the Keeper, and some weeks of missions outside the galaxy, he knew he shouldn't sound too disbelieving.

"Naw," trying to sooth his friend's concern, "I'm just going to stay up in the ship. Learn how to fly it. We're going out there one day Tony. I mean with ships we've designed or at least understood. We're going to need to know how to do it practically and this is another opportunity I couldn't pass up."

"They let you go for that?" this time Tony's incredulity was too apparent to brush off. That's when Alan smiled and thumped his friend from Italy on the shoulder.

"Course not mate. That's just the official excuse. General Hammond and Commander Koenig are letting me go out there after family. Be there for Sam and Jacob." Selene repeating 'Event horizon open' over the speakers around them prompted Alan to end the conversation, pick up his bag and start off towards the gate room.

He found Commander Koenig, Helena and Victor waiting for him.

"Seeing me off Commander, all of you? I'm touched," his smile was a Cheshire's cat wide. "Professor, don't worry, I'll record as much as I can about the spacecraft the Tok'ra will let me. Doc...I promise to come home in one piece."

"Good luck, Group Captain Carter," John said formerly and saluted, one that Alan returned, "What's that saying you yanks have...keep the porch light on."

It wasn't Alan's first trip through the gate, but it still felt dizzying as he exited on the surface of Vorash. Ahead of him was SG-1 who had initially turned around to see the new comer. Sam waited with open arms as they embraced. They'd met briefly last year when the moon base was discovered.

"You're not trying to leave without me are you?" he teased as they parted, "Don't worry. We'll get your dad back."

"General Hammond must have told you I was coming," he hedged from the look Colonel Jack O'Neill was giving him, the craggy faced man nodded once, and talked to one of what Alan assumed must be Tok'ra, "This counts as a surprise."

Alan had a few more when they boarded. He seemed amazed by it all, SG-1 was acting like it was old hat, and from reading their reports it likely was.

He'd been introduced to the Tok'ra going with them, Martouf, or thought only one was going along, another was laying down underneath the left forward console and when he pushed out looked sort of like Daniel Jackson just with longer hair.

"Ma'chello," he introduced as he sat up, "Yes we heard about a stealth Tel'tak. In fact I'm hoping we can get Aris Boch to join us...at least give me a system to compare so I don't have to reinvent the wheel here to use a Tau'ri expression"

Alan just stood back and listened as SG-1 seemed stunned by Ma'chello's appearance. Words like old man, Darkhol, and apparently something that worked. This Ma'chello certainly acts like an old man sometimes Alan noted but he's clearly not. "Wait...you lot found the Fountain of Youth?"

"Only if you don't want to have children again," Daniel quipped in that quiet manner of his that reminded him of Victor just with less energy.

"I'm staying onboard to see if I can work up a stealth system and that's final Martouf. Don't tell me about too valuable. We need to reach Selmak and Jacob. I'd never hear the end of it from Nfar is I didn't go after Selmak..." Alan caught the two Tok'ra arguing while Teal'c looked about ready to do a preflight check, at least that's what it looked like to this RAAF pilot.

Sam took pity on the blank look Alan had and filled him in, "...and so Selmak lives inside my dad. They share a host unlike the Goa'uld who take one."

"Right..." Alan decided this was a subject that could wait for another time, "So Teal'c. Care to teach an old codger like myself how to fly this thing."

"You are not old," Teal'c said so deadpan that Alan had to take him seriously as much as he just wanted to initially laugh. One look told him that Teal'c wasn't kidding. Tolok was not like this imposing Jaffa.

"Just a saying mate."

"You are not my mate."

"Uh...right. So how about teaching me as we go along..." and Alan was happy about the slight inclination of the head, he didn't know Jaffa from Japanese, despite having both back on Alpha, but the gesture seem to him to mean yes. So while he started explaining the controls they heard Jack raise his voice.

"Oh no, no, no...this counts as another surprise Marty..." turning he saw a Vorlon glide in and not just any, but Kosh.

"Two sparks are ready, one fire will ignite," he intoned by way of explanation.

"That's just great...you're going Yoda on me. Fine be cryptic, see if I care...T? You and Carter, the other Carter ready to fly this thing?"

"I believe so O'Neill..." and nodded at Alan who watched everything he did.

"Get us out of here then...engage and all that jazz."

Alan learned a lot on the way out, he also heard his cousin scream out once, "What are you doing to her?" he found Colonel O'Neill pushing him back. It took a bit to calm down and listen what was going on. Alan didn't like it, but he wasn't here to like what was happening. He was here to help rescue Jacob and learn how to fly alien spaceships, particularly since Alpha has access to a Supergate in the Belt.

"It's alright Alan, it's alright," Sam says to hopefully cool her cousin down. While they had known of each other since they were little, they only got to know each other once their mutual friend John Crichton had started in Farscape project and had tried to recruit both Carters to it, getting only the one.

Still they were family, and you just don't stand by while family suffers. He would have been up to America in a shot if he could have last year, when most of the other Carters pulled together to support Sam and Jacob during Jacob's treatments for cancer.

'Treatment'...turns out was just the official story now that Alan had found out he was cured by an alien that went to live inside him.

Not that most of the rest of the family will ever know that. Alan realized he only knows because of his place on Alpha. This reminded him to get back to Teal'c and learn how to pilot a Tel'tak. If Alpha ever gets one it's another vehicle to use to get to the Supergate.

It was just Teal'c, Alan and Kosh soon as the others used drop pods to get to Ne'tu. Alan had stood before the pod Sam was in both not really saying goodbyes. "Go on and get Jacob out that mess he's gotten himself into 'kay?" he tried to make light of what she was about to do. Humor that Sam found welcome as they shared a hug, parting to let her be sealed in and he take his place back up front.

Hearing from them on and off kept up Alan's spirits. Just the description of what was below could depress him, seeing it from orbit certainly did.

He was snapped out of his musings once they were attacked, two 'death gliders' he had heard them called. Now was the time to take his hands off the controls and watch as Teal'c flew this ship into combat.

Of course SG-1 chooses now to call.

"Operate the rings, Alan Carter," Teal'c commands as he flies the ship in an evasive pattern.

"I've only seen it done once cobber..."

"I think I can give us partial stealth...Teal'c can you turn over the controls to Alan and operate those rings?"

Alan was horrified to find that Teal'c's answer was to get up from his seat and move to the ring controls, leaving Alan to take up where the Jaffa had left off flying the Tel'tak.

"They'll have a harder time locking onto us," Ma'chello shouted and was still irritated at not being able to get his full stealth system working. Alan was just glad for whatever it was doing.

Going from -learning- to fly an alien space craft by flying it -in- combat was not on his list of things to do today.

"What? It has a lock out system?" Alan would have been still amazed to see such a young looking man acting as if he were old and frail if he spared the glance to look, right now he hoped all of his piloting skills continued to translate well to keeping the two -fighter- craft from hitting them and at the same time get them to the point they needed to be.

"Okay," they heard over the communicator and then a blast that only Alan didn't recognize as from a Goa'kesh'sha.

They took a hit when Alan had to slow the ship briefly for the rings, and he heard, "Stealth's gone!" from Ma'chello followed by Teal'c's, "We have Jacob Carter!"

"Go Alan!" Ma'chello urged moving forward again, "Go, go, go."

"Others...dodged...tried to distract..." Jacob was muttering as Ma'chello tended to him, "Still down there."

"We will make another pass. Ma'chello, is Jacob Carter well enough for you to man the rings?" Teal'c said coming up to take over for Alan. The Australian was of two minds about that, he wanted another try and didn't think it wise to switch with the two gliders so close to them.

"Teal'c, this is your god Apophis..." a new voice came over the com system and as they listened to it, Teal'c merely said, "Take us away from here Alan Carter." The coolness of the words did not mask the rage Alan heard within them. Right now was not the time to question the huge Jaffa, just fly.

"Hyperspace...now Alan Carter," the words again were spoken evenly, the heat in them conveyed by tone not volume.

They were headed back to Vorash, with part of the time Alan spent flying the ship wondering just why did Kosh come along for this if he wasn't going to -do- anything. Of course that's all he ever did on Alpha was stand around and do nothing but watch, Alan recalled.

Teal'c stayed with Jacob Carter for most of the way back, Ma'chello working on the design of something on the console next to Alan's. All the pilot was able to get out of him was "...noticed something about Ne'tu...this I can use..."

Arrival, landing, euphoria, Alan wanted to let his relief let him relax except that Sam, SG-1 and that Tok'ra were left behind. The ship was barely on the ground before Ma'chello strode out no longer tottering like an old man. Now Alan could check up on Jacob.

"What are you doing here?" he asked the Australian clearly surprised but no longer as weak as when he was first ringed up.

"Getting help for you, Jacob. Heard you swallowed an alien and it made you all well until it lead you astray so they called me up," Alan said helping Teal'c with getting Jacob out of the ship and to the Tok'ra base.

Kosh followed and once Jacob was settled, Alan started to fill in Jacob about the alien outpost found on the moon that the SGC now has built over and run what they call Moon Base Alpha. "...Professor Bergman had gotten me involved, and once I found out what he had, I couldn't go back to space shuttle rides. Right now I'm working on designing a ship or at least some kind of transport, if only around the moon."

Now Alan grinned, "Course got interrupted with this rescue op I had to go on. Takes a Carter to rescue a Carter you know."

That had brought both of their minds back to Sam and SG-1. "We'll get her back Jacob. Don't you worry."

When it did come time to leave Alan returned to the surface to find a second Tel'tak there and a rather big man talking to Teal'c. Which Alan amended his observation to say 'another' big man talking with Teal'c, both seemed to Alan as the archetype for the appellation of 'big man'.

"So take care of her..." Alan heard a man he didn't know the name of Aris Boch finish up but what caught his attention was Teal'c reply.

"Not a scratch," and for some reason that line stood out in his mind as it baffled Aris. Alan just thought it was yank humor, SGC being in America and all. He had no idea it went further than that. Teal'c had not just used an American saying, he was quoting from one of his favorite movie series Star Wars. A line his wife, or SG-1 would have known immediately.

"I'm going to hold you too that," Aris said headed over with several self-propelling crates of equipment.

"It will be just us Alan Carter," Teal'c reported unhappily, well that was the way it felt to Alan. To his eyes the Jaffa's expression didn't change at all happy, sad or angry. Definitely not Tolok, Alan remarked mentally.

"The SGC cannot spare a team yet to come with us," he added as they walked to the second Tel'tak.

"Wait a minute cobber...I might be able to get some help," Alan then led the way to the Stargate. One dial later to Alpha and he was talking to its Commander, John Koenig.

"...so you think we could spare anyone to help out?" and it actually was a question as Alpha didn't have that high a population yet, and of those mostly were scientist, astronauts, what few soldiers were either on loan from the SGC, or were in the military as the vehicle for earning their education as well as indulging their love of flying. Every officer currently had been a pilot in someone's air force at one time or another.

"Tony here Alan, I think I gather a few and be with you...might even bring some firepower."

Alan sighed at that, but welcomed it. While Tony is head of security on Alpha and hence able to draw upon people to help, he was also Doctor Tony Verdeschi, physicist, a high energy physicist. Since his exposure to what has been possible with alien technologies he'd been working on several weapon designs.

One was a portable laser system and even in the short time he'd been working on it, studying staff weapon and Zat gun power sources, as well as the weapons themselves, and now had a backpack version ready for 'field testing'. Alan winced thinking about that as he waited for Alpha to dial in once the report was finished.

He hoped Tony designed weapons better than he brewed beer on his off time.

Tony came through shortly after the incoming wormhole, followed by three others Alan recognized but didn't recall their names. Two were carrying something he could swear he saw on one of those cheap, he dare not say 'Italian' scifi movies, however only the 'what' did escape his lips.

"These? They're dazzlers, specifically Personnel Halting and Stimulation Response rifle," Alan could see one of the men holding one trying not to laugh as the acronym Tony was trying not to say formed in everyone's mind...a PHASR, which comes out phonetically to phaser as in the TV show Star trek that seemed anyone who came to Alpha ended up watching one version, if not all of them.

"Set on stun I suppose?" Alan quipped as he led them to the ship.

"Dazzlers my dear aussie are non-lethal weapons intended to cause temporary blindness or disorientation..." Tony clapped a hand on Alan's shoulder as they walked in. "I hope to have my electrolasers ready soon for the 'set on stun' bit. I've been studying Zats and I think I have something that will work."

"You mean those staple gun shaped things in your work shop," Alan couldn't leave it alone, good thing Tony took it well.

"Yes those 'staple gun shaped things'. If I've got it right, then I'll eliminate the one shot limitation Zats have. The second, third, or whatever shots shouldn't kill."

"I hear a 'shouldn't in there where I don't think I like."

"So what's with all the non lethal gear?" Alan asked after they were on their way.

"About all we had with us. Come on, Alan. We're on a base on the moon. Bullet hits a wall the wrong way and we've got a leak and decompression. The Gate room is reinforced but not the rest of the base. I was able to get the SGC to at least ship up a couple of ADS' for installation in the Gate room, Main mission and possibly some fall back places, but again it all has to be non-lethal or Zats."

"And the SGC is not generous with sending Zats up are they?" Alan asked knowing the answer. It cost a lot to just get the base up and while the promise of aliens 'dropping in' on the reopened diplomatic outpost and the hope of sharing technology has kept the funds coming, it hasn't been the flood everyone on Alpha would like.

"I'm not up on my yank acronyms, what's an ADS," it passed the time away in conversation.

"Active Denial System, it is a strong millimeter-wave transmitter causing an intensely painful sensation of extreme heat. While not actually burning the skin..." Tony began seeing Alan comprehended so he let him finish.

"...making them feel roasting if they keep coming and I bet they cool off if they leave. Not bad since we don't have heavy firepower on Alpha yet."

"So what's the plan?" Alan was now in the pilot seat, Teal'c having instructed how the stealth system works. Unlike Alan and company he had a very lethal staff weapon.

"You ring down after Ma'chello's code unlocker lets us use the ring transporter," the Tok'ra Aldwin informed, Alan wasn't sure what he was doing there but whatever it was, Teal'c didn't like it. He could pick out that much.

"Go in, take out whoever is in our way, find SG-1 and Martouf and return to ring out," Teal'c simply said and just looked at Alan. Suddenly Alan thought he understood, "I won't leave without you, mate."

That got a raised eyebrow and Alan almost could see the retort, 'I am not your mate' on Teal'c lips.

Tony and his men had experienced the Asgard artifact transporter. One moment you're staring at stone obelisk on Earth, the next one on the moon. He hadn't used the ring transporter to see the Keeper yet as it was by invitation only and the Maggiore wasn't sure he was welcomed by Keeper yet.

He'd seen it work on John, Helena and Victor of course, so he knew what to expect intellectually. "Getchell, Dreese, just fire on targets of opportunity. Mahula same with us and our PEPs as with the dazzlers. Just fire at anyone who moves. Use side arms only as needed. We don't know how many of them there are between us and the people we're rescuing. I'm not worried about casualties if they're someone else's," and he didn't need to remind them about limited ammunition.

"I will clear the way Tony Verdeschi," Teal'c declared and Tony saw Alan give the thumbs up just moments before.

Alan wasn't watching Aldwin, just the huge Ha'tak that just came into view. He thought back to the report how two of them came to Earth to raze the surface of the world, burn it to ashes and looking at this one he could believe it. How SG-1 took out two of them was simply amazing.

Beeping, sounds made from button pushing went on behind him and he turned just as Aldwin pressed some red dome like the top of a DHD. Then felt the ship shudder and saw something blue flash down to the moon below them.

"What did you do..." Alan was up out of his seat, Teal'c's warning flaming in his ears.

Tony and his team followed behind Teal'c as he was like a grim reaper personified. Sure the dazzlers were working, making his job easier, but he felt that the large Jaffa would just take longer. Finding someone to lead them to 'the pit' was a matter of Tony stopping Teal'c from taking them out before they could be questioned.

Of course once they did find out, it was more a matter of covering their rear than helping to lead the way. Fortunately it only took a few shots from the PEPs to make the prisoner's think they had Goa'uld hand devices. The over-the-shoulder fired Pulsed Energy Projectiles shot by Tony's and Andreas Mahula's backpack powered muzzles resulted in a sound and shock wave that stuns them as well as a burst of electromagnetic radiation that caused a painful sensation. Targets went flying with each shot.

By the time SG-1 ended up getting out of their cell on their own, it was a quick jog to the rings and up they went.

Tony could tell Alan wasn't happy but right now he was too busy flying them away from an exploding moon, like right out of a science fiction movie. The special effects he'd seen were more imaginative by ILM, but knowing the real thing was chasing you as you hope your ship out flew it left a more sobering experience.

He could use a beer...even one of his own.

"Sam, Jacob is doing well. We left him in good hands," Alan said as his cousin plopped herself down in the seat next to him, "We'll be back to see him before you know it."

Author's note: Totally made up word for the ribbon device, it always bothered me that there would be a proper name for weapons such as the Zat'nik'tel or the Hara kesh, but call the hand weapon of the Goa'uld a 'ribbon device', so I came up with Goa'kesh'sha, which in this work of fiction will mean 'hand of god' or 'hand of the gods'. I couldn't' find the Goa'uld word for hand, so I borrowed from Hara kesh since that is a hand worn weapon and Goa'uld is translated as god, with a stretch of 'sha' to associate of the gods as in the word Heelk'sha or Gods of the underworld. I did find out after all of this that there is a word Kara Kesh which means Hand device, however hand of god, or hand of the gods sounded more impressive to me.

I also had Ma'chello along for continuity sense as I believe he would try to do upgrade the Tok'ra's Tel'tak with a stealth that and unlike the show that has a budget or can't always get an actor back for only cameos, fanfiction can always have a character who should be there, there in the story. The other reason for Ma'chello was the device the Tok'ra used on Ne'tu was rather specific, to come up with it in such a short time they had to have made it and none of the Tok'ra to date had seemed that inventive. However Ma'chello, who in Wives survived as oppose to canon and became a Tok'ra, did have the expertise to come up with their moon-detonating device.


	8. Footfall

Footfall

Author's note: In the following it's not a typo or mistake of correct reference to what Eidelons are in Farscape. In canon they are known as the Peacemakers, in this fiction they are known as the Peacebringers, the reasons why there is a distinction will come up down the road. Now onto the chapter...

"Moonbase Alpha status report, one hundred thirty-two days since first contact with Chandra, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. We have special visitors today as Keeper has informed us that they are from her home galaxy. She had not expected the arrival of the Eidelons as she had heard they had been wiped out. Known as the Peacebringers they have everyone fascinated as they ask to tour Moon base Alpha and not like so many other visitors restrict themselves to Chandra."

"Has anyone else noticed from just the way our Eidelon visitors carry themselves that you feel more relaxed around them?" John asked those gathered around the table in the Command office.

"They were known as the Peacebringers," Helena pointed out softly, others around the table nodding in agreement with both Koenigs.

"Just as long as we all remember to not explain our defenses to them," Tony cautioned again what he had to keep in mind when he was around them.

"Defenses?" Alan snorted, and then smiled at his friend, they both knew right now about the only defense they had were hand held or the ADS mounted in the Gateroom, and Main mission. If they had another attack like what brought Tolok to them, they were in for a fight.

Still Tony played along as if they really had defenses to speak of, "Well we shouldn't let them know how easy it would be to attack is what I am saying."

John smiled along with the rest of them save Victor, which he noticed, "Victor? What's the matter?"

"It's just that John, I can't put my finger on it, but something doesn't add up right with these Peacebringers."

Victor now had everyone's attention and he knew it, "I'm not saying we should be paranoid, and distrust them. I like to think more than most I'm open for further contact with them its just that they are...too observant."

Tony thought about it, and so did Paul, both men meeting each other's eyes as if they shared the thought, with John's second in command speaking it, "I think I know what you mean Professor. It's like they are more like soldiers, watching anything for a potential threat. Not what one might expect for a civilization calling themselves Peacebringers."

"However right you are Paul, we must remember they are aliens," Victor did not want what he was merely putting down as a hunch to risk upsetting relations with the Eidelons, "Ascribing human attributes to them is not wise. Just because they are humanoid, does not make them human."

"Let's just all keep a better eye on them, hopefully that shouldn't risk our relations with them," John said in a tone that closed that subject, "Anything else?" heads shook around the table, "Okay then, Victor, let's go rescue Sandra and Tolok from the Eidelons."

One comlock press later, the sliding walls parted to open up the Command office to Main mission. John and Victor were leading the way to the right entry arch into Main mission when Yasko spoke up, "Commander, incoming wormhole."

That froze everyone only for a heartbeat, and then John noticed his people moving like a well oiled machine despite the international mix, to say nothing of military and civilian one. Louis had his soldiers ready in the Gateroom, Tony had the ADS lowered from the ceiling and locked in place. The plate like dish wasn't obvious unless one looked up but it was at an angle to at least slow down hostiles, if the visitors coming in where that.

"Selene identifies origin as SGC," Kano reported from his station, Yasko nodding, "Incoming signal is authenticated as SGC," it was only a beat later she added, "audio only, Commander."

"This Major General Hammond, you are to open up all comlocks and communication posts for the following transmission," John was taken aback by the formality and abruptness of the command, "Do it Yasko."

Then this tone, it didn't hurt really, slightly annoying, rang out over the comlocks and communication post throughout Alpha.

Tolok wasn't sure what was going on as he escorted the two Eidelons along the Hydroponics farms, Sandra Benes had stopped in mid-explanation of what was grown where and seemed equally puzzled by the tone coming from communication posts that were all over Alpha.

A beat later they both had other concerns than the odd noise. What was a party of four Eidelons flickered and became four humanoids that seemed a conglomerate of biotechnological plates and helmets with a long visor like opening.

The Stragoth did not hesitate to act now that their cover was blown, their mimicry devices had ceased and one swung an arm at Tolok while another sought to grab Sandra. Tolok smoothly dropped and swept his leg in an arc tripping up the two aliens, the other two Stragoth had spread out for one to cover both directions.

"Main mission! Emergency!" Sandra quickly snatched up her comlock and screamed into it, Tolok rising and seriously wishing he had brought along his Kara'bashaak'tak, he often carried it for both ceremonial and walking staff purposes. Older than Bra'tac, he was not getting any sprier as a Jaffa, though as the Stragoth found he could still fight. Still even a Zat'nik'tel right now would make him feel better with his current priority of not survival, but protecting Sandra Benes.

However, none of the Stragoth wasted time for any further conflicts but ran towards an exit, a travel tube that would take them directly to Main Mission Command Tower.

Sandra didn't waste what little she was hanging onto to stave off a good scream session she wanted have after her initial one, instead she pointed her comlock at the retreating aliens to give Main mission a good look at them.

"What are those things?" Tony asked looking up at the image on the Main screen. Yasko had switched it up there upon John's command.

"L'gharuakeggn, Maggiore Verdeschi," Keeper said as her image faded into view in the clamshell, "Specifically Stragoth, the distinction being just as your species is known as human, while you are known as Italian. The species is Stragoth, their overall galactic identity is L'gharuakeggn."

"Getchell, Dreese, grab an extra ARWEN 37 for me and meet me at Recycling plant 1," Tony rattled off into his comlock, intending to leave Lou and his men here near Main mission, "I take it Sandra, Tolok doesn't even have his Zat on him?" Not that he blamed the old Jaffa if he didn't, all of them felt at ease around the so-called Eidelons.

"Tony, he did his best just keeping them from getting either one of us," she said with an edge in her voice, a bit of temper at Tony was better than screaming hysterics which is what she wanted to give into right then. She'd seen enough, too much she'd now thought, of American monster, and slasher movies to too easily imagine herself in the 'starring role' as one of those victims.

"Kano, have Selene shut down that travel tube now," John ordered to try and contain the problem or at least give Tony and his men time to get into position, "Yasko send someone to see to Sandra and Tolok, and if he wants to carry a staff weapon, have someone get one of the Horus guards out of weapon section." If Tolok wasn't carrying his on him, he likely left it down in his quarters in the Somnath.

"Keeper what can we expect from these Stragoth?" John found that name easier on the tongue than L'gharuakeggn.

"They are from the galaxy you call Kaliem, Commander. Opportunistic and aggressive, they prefer infiltration first then overwhelming force if that is not possible," Keeper answered what she could read from Chandra's data stores, what she was allowed to read by her charge, "You won't have to worry about the typical overwhelming force as their Xx'l class ships are a good ten of your kilometers long, too wide to fit through a Chappa'ko."

Paul didn't want to interrupt John while he was talking to Keeper, and was busy enough now speaking for Alpha to General Hammond of the SGC to bring up the oddity of the Stragoth's actions. Fortunately Victor had no such restraint.

"John...look at the viewer here," Victor said leaning over David Kano's shoulder and peering at a view Selene gave of the travel tube's interior. The Stragoth were doing...nothing. "...they aren't trying to break out, they aren't looking to defend themselves. I'm no expert but the impression I get is they're waiting on something to happen."

"John, General Hammond is asking for a report and I think he'd rather hear it from you," Paul broke in during the pause as John considered his options.

"Yasko, switch the General to my desk, Paul stay on top of things, don't have Tony or Tolok go in after them yet. As long as they aren't doing anything and are trapped, we'll play the waiting game too."

It was just a game John felt that they shouldn't be playing, but he couldn't pin point why.

"...so under no circumstances are you to let them go, Colonel, do you read me?" Hammond was finishing after bringing John up to speed of what happened down at the SGC hours ago.

"Commander," Yasko's face and voice were on the screens of the communications post in the Command office, "Keeper has reported activity at the Supergate, and Keck III confirms."

"General, if you will excuse me," John quickly said and was rewarded with a "Sure, Colonel, send what you have to us as well."

Walking down to Main mission his steps slowed as he saw something nearly as big as a Ha'tak but somewhat whale shaped, with the 'somewhat' only due to the curving prow of the tear shaped vessel that tapered off at the end in three curving spine line projections meeting at a point in the very rear.

"That's a Leviathan!" Keeper said out loud in obvious shock, "It's transmitting an L'gharuakeggn signal."

No one in Main mission had an idea what Keeper was talking about, and John decided that should change, "Keeper, what's a Leviathan?"

"It's a biomechanical transport Commander and not indigenous to the Kaliem galaxy, though they can reach them of course," she explained with Victor mouthing, 'of course' to John. He certainly would have liked more data, and his eyes sparkling with animation ahead of the Keeper's next pronouncement.

"It is a living ship," Keeper added in case the bio of the mechanical didn't sink in. From what she could read of expressions of the human race it didn't seem to, save Professor Bergman.

"A living ship," now Victor wanted to get anything he could about it as his conclusion was confirmed, "That makes sense with the biomechanical," he turned to the Keeper's image, "Like the Transport pods?"

"Leviathans grow them like Chandra does, Professor Bergman. One of my species is aboard it, bounded to the ship as I am to this base. You also don't have to worry, they are not armed."

That news was a relief to everyone in Main mission and back on Earth in the SGC control room. Because Alpha had no way to defend itself. Back on Earth there were jet fighters, naval ships with missiles, or even silo launched missiles, Moon base Alpha currently had...nothing. The 'budget' just didn't have it to arm Alpha, a shortfall that John was really regretting now. Especially one of Tony's railguns he had on the design boards would be good about now.

So now all they could do is stare as the mammoth living ship made its way towards Alpha.

"Keeper...you said a Leviathan was not armed but did grow Transport pods?" Keeper wasn't the only one in Main mission curious why John was asking such a simple question.

"Yes, Commander," Keeper was as patient as ever.

"Could it carry other craft...fighter craft?" the thought hitting everyone like a thunderbolt around Main mission.

"Yes, Commander," Keeper admitted sadly, "And the L'gharuakeggn do have such craft."

Well they had one option prepared for, "Paul head down to the Command Centre and be ready for a switch from Main mission to there. It's underground and in case we have fighters strafing us, it would be better protected than Main mission. No arguments Paul go."

"Yasko, Kano, I'm asking you two to stay up here, the rest of you head down," he turned back to Yasko, "Signal everyone to head down to levels C and D as fast as possible, then make their way to the Asgard room." The name they had for where the obelisk that transported them up from Earth was located.

"Keeper, would Chandra let my people into the Somnath?" John asked not wanting to assume, and with a 'Yes Commander', turned back to Yasko, "Good. If worse comes to worse, we'll evacuate there. Everyone else get to the Asgard obelisk for transport down to Area 51."

"We should end the wormhole, Colonel, give another avenue of evacuation," General Hammond suggested, and Victor could see John considered for a moment.

"No General, I'd like to keep the wormhole operational as long as we can. If the Stragoth try dialing in, I want them blocked. As long as your wormhole is active they can't come at us that way."

"Victor..."

"I'll stay with you John, see this through. I started this after all, I want to be here if it's ending," Victor said and John didn't give him another argument.

"Sir, where do you want us?" Major Louis Ferretti asked as he walked in from the Gateroom. Like everyone else, he'd heard what was going on. Tony was likely busy organizing what defense Command Centre might come under if Main mission falls.

"Stay at the Gate, Major. We only have about ten minutes before the wormhole shut downs and unless Stargate Command can dial faster than a likely enemy, we'll need you there."

"Commander," Kano spoke up, "Selene could probably dial faster if we turn control over to her."

"Do it. I don't care where save the Stragoth's address."

Finally everyone was ready as the Leviathan ship approached, those remaining on Alpha in space suits, moon suits as they were lighter than true space suits. Helmets were on desk nearby or like Lou and his men, wearing them with visors up. Selene had dialed SGC, the iris was up on that end. It wouldn't be an evac point if aliens made it that far. All non-essential personnel were back on Earth at Area 51. Sandra had switched with Yasko who went down to the Command Centre.

They waited and watched, sweat on some brow's as the Leviathan flew closer and closer and then inexplicably banked to turn and fly away back towards the Supergate.

"Explosion detected," Selene announced as they all felt the tower rock slightly.

"It's the travel tube with the Stragoth, sir," Kano reported, "They...blew themselves up?" He couldn't really believe it. He looked up with disbelieving eyes at Victor who looked grim and then shrugged.

"Not human, Kano. Remember that, we should not ascribe human traits to inhuman beings," he reminded in his professor mode reproach of a student.

"So they came at us to what...Victor?" John certainly wanted answers.

"We may never know, John. Sandra you didn't detect a signal did you?" the Burmese woman shook her head, "So perhaps they just knew they weren't going to be rescued, or perhaps they communicate in some manner our instruments can't fathom. It's a mystery John, one perhaps the SGC can help piece together."

He looked at the now empty clamshell, "I don't think Keeper is going to say any more on the matter."

Nodding, John looked over at Sandra, "Start recalling our people from Area 51 and stand down."

"Moonbase Alpha status report supplemental, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, life is slowly getting back to normal after the Stragoth incident. Further reports uploaded from the SGC tell us that they had infiltrated there and nearly the Pentagon. So far the experts believe that they wished to cut off any chance of Alpha getting word out to the rest of the races this outpost would have the capacity to communicate with. As to whether we'll see them again, no-one seems to know, but precautions here on Alpha and back at the SGC are in place to hopefully prevent another Foothold situation by the Stragoth. There is also an unspoken hope that the fly by of the Leviathan will encourage thoughts in the form of defenses spared for a currently defenseless Moonbase Alpha."


	9. Allies

Allies

"Moonbase Alpha status report, one hundred thirty-six days since first contact with Chandra, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. After the events on the distant planet of Tollana, SG-1's success there and the successes with the Re'tu, Moonbase Alpha is getting much needed supplements to its defenses. While some are nervous about the Re'tu coming to help Maggiore Anthony Verdeschi's Security teams, others on Alpha welcome what is being arranged through the Tok'ra as own government is unable to provide as much help as our alien allies. With the arrival of the Tollan Ion cannon Moonbase Alpha will finally be able to fend for itself against space based attacks."

"The hope of course is we won't need to right, Dr. Russell?" Ben was particularly excited about the Re'tu coming, one of the few who were. The African-American born Californian just continued with thinking that aliens were just 'so cool' and for Ben, the more an alien differed from humanity, the more he liked it. Helena knew she would never get any peace unless she let Ben in on whenever medical had to do with non-human life forms.

Helena knew that Victor shared that enthusiasm for new life, as did her husband to an extent. John was still concerned about not being able to see a Re'tu most of the time and currently was being briefed by David Kano about how Selene was going to make a difference regarding that.

"So what Ma'chello arranged was a processor that essentially acts like an electronic equivalent of what the Re'tu engineered in the boy called Charlie to let his brain hear and see the Re'tu. So Selene will be able to see and hear the Re'tu all over Alpha," Kano explained as he, Paul, Tony, Victor and John sat at the circular table in the Command office.

"But how does that help -us- to see them?" Paul was nearly on edge with all the talk around the issue that he thought should be central, one that Tony nearly resented the 2IC's intrusion into his perceived area of duties.

David Kano stood and looked at the assemblage at the table and saw only Professor Bergman following the implications, so with a sigh, he pulled his comlock off his belt, turned and pointed it to the communication post in the Command office and pressed the sequence he and Selene had prepared on the 'just in case' basis of non-comprehension.

It displayed a graphic of a corridor of Alpha, and down along it moved a Re'tu, more slid down it as Kano didn't have the time to get Selene to generate a fully animated version of that alien species. Now as they saw the icon of the Re'tu pass a communication post, they saw on the screens on all four sides of the post, the Re'tu showed up.

Now David saw comprehension and the nodding of heads, as they turned back towards him with their next anticipated concern.

"We know they can see and hear us," John's hand moved in arcing gestures while he talked, "But how will we hear them?"

"The same method, John," Victor decided to field this one, letting Kano sit down, "Selene will be able to synthesize a voice for each one and use the nearest communication post, or if an Alphan wants, their comlock to both see and listen to that particular Re'tu."

"Selene will have assigned voices for each one, to be as distinctive as any of ours," Kano added, "We'll get to know the sound of their voice like we many any of our own."

"And those who find the Re'tu...not so easy on the eyes don't have to look at the post or comlock," Paul threw out more musing on Sandra's reaction to their image when the Tok'ra, Martouf arrived to offer what the Re'tu wished to further the Tau'ri-Tok'ra-Re'tu alliance.

"Right, Paul, they could just listen to the voice, like an audio only," David was quite proud of how this was all working with Selene.

"Thank you Kano," John felt this discussion had gone on long enough, "Now the Tollan...Tony I understand that they are not only giving us a cannon, but someone to fire it and two guards to keep us from studying it?" He long ago worked out the irritation that arrangement had put in his voice, Helena and Victor had to remind him more than once that first day when Narim informed them of his government's provision of the weapon that Earth was fortunate to get anything like this from the Tollans.

"Right John, it seems that instead of famine for my section it's becoming a feast. Two Tollans, and two Re'tu, with Tolok on loan from Victor when the two of them aren't working," Tony had a slight tease at the end there, one that Victor was up to the challenge to meet.

"And when you aren't asking him about your project to reverse engineer a Zat'nik'tel," the Professor casually threw out there to the light amusement of the gathered Alphans.

They missed a comment from Alan about hoping it goes better than his latest batch of beer, as the Australian was busy with the visiting Orbanians.

Which reminded John that they were one of the topics of today's meeting as well, "How is everyone adjusting to the Orbanians?"

No one thought that was a question out of the blue, knowing Alan was with them now. "Of course everyone is a bit queasy with their culture John, even after SG-1 worked out that their Urrone after the time of Averium," Victor began holding his pen in both hands, slowly not quite twirling it as he leaned back in his seat, "however their help is advancing more than one of our projects."

"We just have to make sure no child labor laws catch us," Tony quipped to the general laughter of all around the table.

"Seriously now, we have an alliance and that means they get to help. We wouldn't have the Naquadah generators that power Alpha if not for them," Victor reminded everyone as he sat up straight and then leaned forward, elbows now on the table, "So we have to just remember not our culture, it's theirs. We're not going to find everything to our liking out here in space, we better get use to that or just pack up and go back home to Earth."

John was still thinking of the meeting as he approached medical, Helena had enough on her plate working with Judy to get any special life support needs for the Re'tu. Not that either thought they had any, but they were still learning about dietary needs and feeling as blind to them as they would be the Re'tu themselves.

He found Tolok in medical laying on a bed which concerned him, as far as John knew, Jaffa didn't get sick, and certainly if this one did he'd have expected to hear about it sooner rather than later. Still he didn't notice the bustle his wife went into when there was a medical problem about so he concluded Tolok was here in medical for some other reason.

"...just going over the medication the Tok'ra sent along to let the symbiote sense a Re'tu and yet not be in pain," Helena finished up briefing her husband. She knew he would be puzzled about Tolok being here and had the time to talk to him privately as Ben kept up a nearly continuous conversation with the Jaffa.

"I remember that memo."

"I'm glad you read up on what I'm up to," Helena teased playing the straight man...the straight women in this case, her delivery was almost dry enough and yet retained enough of a jesting tone to take the 'straight' out of her play for humor.

They still shared a smile, "Do you have enough for his rather large family?"

Another shared smile, "'Large'...let's see 12 children, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, plus his wife, I think if the Tok'ra send an Ha'tak full we might have enough...or we better make sure our new Re'tu friends do not go down for a visit."

"Don't worry John, Maureen sent over the particulars once she returned from Reetalia. We can synthesize it as long as supplies from Earth last."

John made a face, "I still don't see how she put up staying among them so long. I understood she used one of the Tok'ra devices to see and hear them most of the time she spent there?" Seeing his wife nod, John shook his head, "She's like Victor I suppose, and the pursuit of knowledge can blot out how something else looks."

"It's not a bad trait," again Helena was teasing and turned her back on John not quite glancing over her shoulder in expectation of his coming up behind her with arms sliding around as she hoped they would.

"Not needed to appreciate some sights," he gave her a brief hug then let go, he hadn't forgotten there were others in medical, not that Ben would let Tolok have enough time and peace of mind to notice the Koenigs at play.

Or so they thought.

Turning towards them, they spotted Tolok with the wise old eyes expressing delight with their relationship. This didn't embarrass the Koenigs, as they appreciated being appreciated from a man who knew what family meant, even if the man was a Jaffa.

"...so you can teach this Lok'nel?" Ben was asking and Helena knew not so casually, her deputy wasn't so much into wanting to do harm as learning anything outside the human experience.

"Everything checks out Helena," the voice of Helena's other deputy floated over from the door as Bob Mathias walked into medical, "Oh, Commander, Ben...Tolok this looks as if you and your family should be fine with no ill effects with the medication."

Tolok took that moment to slowly make his escape, not that Ben or Bob thought of it as that, but Helena and suspected the intent. "I better catch up with Victor Bergman then. He has the heart of a father, but not the experience," Tolok left unsaid that the Urrone do not act like normal children, merely used the implication to excuse himself from medical.

"So Lok'nel?" Ben asked hopefully as Tolok used his comlock on the door, stopping the old Jaffa who turned and gave a smile, a warning one John thought he picked up, like a teacher who knew that the new student did not know what he was letting himself in for, "Certainly, Ben Vincent. My family meets at six of your clock in the morning. Please come down to the Somnath then."

Ben was clearly excited as the door closed behind Tolok, John truly hoped that Ben knew what he was getting into.

Tony wondered what he was getting into waiting for the Re'tu to arrive. Ma'chello had left days ago after installing what he called TIR, or Transphase Illumination Rods in the Gate room, Command office and Medical, at least originally, Tony pushed for one more installation and after Martouf finished convincing him, Ma'chello installed his system in the Command Centre.

He wished their appearance didn't make him queasy, however he could see the tactical benefits as most of what has been reported to him as most races inability to see them. In most of the science fiction movies he'd seen, it's always the foes that were invisible, it will be nice to have the good guys as that. Briefly he wondered if the SGC were going to incorporate them with a SG team.

What was that American phrase, Tony pondered as the Tok'ra boy called Charlie walked through the event horizon, oh yes, 'Showtime', "Welcome to Alpha," he greeted and was proud that he didn't flinch when two Re'tu walked in after Charlie.

"Hello Mr. Verdeschi, I am glad to meet you," the teen said as if trying to remember his manners, "This is Xnedk and this is Xrakub." He didn't quite hide a smile as he saw Tony trying to say their names and deciding not to try out loud, so he added, "Their nicknames are Xat and Xzuk."

Louis blurted out, "They have nicknames?"

"Yes Mr. Ferretti, they do."

All Tony could think at that point was how Victor was going to love learning that tidbit, he had no idea of Ben's interest.

"Tollan ship entering the solar system," Sandra announced a day later, Tony was nearly hovering over her as Selene directed the Keck III to keep the ship in sight. Xat and Xzuk were conducting a patrol right now, assuring Tony that their plasma weapons at lower settings won't puncture a wall of Alpha. Unlike Lou's MP5 or P90's, the Re'tu's weapons made them ideal for patrol...that and most threats won't see them coming.

"Incoming wormhole," Sandra said over an hour later, by now the Tollan ship was nearly over Alpha and moving to the point where Tony wanted the Ion cannon placed. He barely paid attention as he heard Kano relay, "...Selene confirms friendly address, Tollana."

He joined John and Victor as they took the steps down under the main monitor to the Gateroom where Lou and his men were standing down and Narim walked in from the active gate followed by a young woman and two taller men that screamed more than the armor they wore, 'Security'.

John suppressed a smile, he hadn't missed the fact that Narim had looked around briefly, and likely for Major Carter. When she was up here for negotiations days ago, his eyes tended to wander over towards her from time to time.

"Commander Koenig, Professor Bergman, Mister Verdeschi, greetings," Narim was still the quiet, professional man they met days ago and greeted them with a slight bow, then he turned to the young woman who was nearly gaping as she looked around, "This is Karyel, she will operate and maintain the cannons."

Tony didn't believe he heard right, "What's that cannons as in plural?"

This caught Karyel's attention, "Yes, Mr. Verdeschi, as in more than one. Two in fact as the Curia decided that since we are protecting not only Alpha but the Diplomatic outpost below it, we should be sure of that protection." The hint that Tony, or humanity as a whole couldn't provide protection, made him inwardly bristle, more so once he was introduce to the Tollan, read Karyel, guards.

"This is Patir, and this is Greku," Narim went on, "They will assist you with Security on Alpha, Mr. Verdeschi." The two weren't particularly bulky, they didn't look like hulking thugs, but they were taller than Tony's 5'10" easily each over 6'. They weren't close to being the tallest security guards he'd ever known, but they certainly carried themselves that way.

Having to revise his placement of cannons, plural, on the spot gave Tony something to do other than think about how condescending the Tollan, save Narim, appeared as they followed John, Victor and Tony up to Main mission. By the time they were looking up at the main screen, Tony knew where he wanted the two cannons, and how, if he ever got the funding, they would work in concert with his planned railguns.

"That should suffice," Karyel nearly sniffed with restrained acquiescence and Tony had a bad feeling of how future relations were going to go with her on his 'team'.


	10. Enemies

Enemies

"Moonbase Alpha status report, one hundred forty-three since first contact with Chandra, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. The Stragoth have made a total of three fly-bys over Moon base Alpha and while tensions have dropped that they will do anything, they have not vanished. Our new alliance with the Tollans has provided a modicum feeling of security with the Ion cannons they have provided, yet their reluctance to use them nearly counters what sense of safety their presence engenders. Since it has been three days since the last Stragoth fly-by Washington has sent up the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee as well as a few Air Force officers to look over what defenses Moon base Alpha has available."

"I was assured that the air-to-space missile batteries sent up were more than up to the task without relying on the alien's less-than-available weaponry," Senator Robert Kinsey delcared to John during the staff meeting held as the Alphans presented their wish list to the visiting US Senator.

John had noted so far Senator Kinsey had yet to address anyone who was not a US citizen, like his latest reply to a request, it wasn't made to the requestor, one Tony Verdeschi, to whom the senator probably saw only as a Maggiore in the air force of Italy. John doubted the Senator even knew Tony's name as he had been less than inclined to look him, Alan or Paul in the eye during the entire meeting. Victor only gained a fleeting glance of a look because of his impressive academics, but John could see that the -British- Professor didn't hold high enough esteem to warrant much attention from the very US focused politician.

"Indeed they will be quite impressive with the Naquadah enhanced warheads that should soon be coming up," Lt. Col. Samuels said to the gathered in a far more polite tone than the Senator had used so far this morning. It was almost as if they were playing good cop, bad cop, except they both forgot they were playing cops at all.

"But they aren't here yet and even though its been a few days, the next flyby could be one where they start attacking instead of just getting a look at defenses that aren't really there," Tony said with rising heat, "I really think you should give the rail gun implacements another thought before dismissing them to inadaquate missile batteries."

"What we need is something of our own up there," Alan interjected...again, "The transport pod is just not going to do more than threaten them with ramming. Funding for the Eagle project will let us meet them up there and not have to hope what we have down on the moon will deter them from doing anything."

"That is what I am here to take a look at Group Captain," Lt. Gen. Vidrine said finally entering the discussion after patiently listening to Senator Kinsey's postering or so it sounded like in his opinion. Stephen Vidrine was here to see what was going on, not make sure everyone knew who ran things.

"But know this that the X-301 project has priority," Stephen felt Kinsey should have said to Carter and not to him, still this poaching on his territory had to be defended against, even if he thought it was a waste of time.

"I understand that Senator, and the 301 is our top priority, but if we can get a wholely Earth based and built spacecraft in production that will save time and resources in trying to snatch alien technology to make our planes fly." It was something the Senator had to know, should know, but did not seem to from what Stephen was hearing. Of course he might just be putting on a show for the non-US members of Moon base Alpha.

A General can have his private hopes, Stephen thought to himself and focused his attention to this meeting.

"We have come up with a design to convert six of the construction vehicles we have up here on Alpha to tanks, which should assist with the local aerospace defense and in case of any ground incursions on the moon itself," Paul was reporting holding the attention of Air Force visitors, Senator Kinsey likely heard but he wasn't even looking in the Brit's direction.

He did confirm he heard, though again he didn't look at Paul when he talked, he was looking at John, "Colonel we shouldn't waste time with what you can do with your own resouces. The committee doesn't care about that as it doesn't cost the taxpayer a single cent. In fact it is commendable that you can do that as much as possible and not besiege us with request of rail guns you aren't going to get or spacecraft that does not directly benefit the United States of America. Flying to other galaxies is all well and good..."

"But we can explore -our- solar system," Alan stood with his temper rising.

"Alan," John cautioned and the Australian slowly sank back into his seat. John likely knew what was on his friend's mind. Wondering if the Senator had even read his report of what an Eagle could do?

"How about the Professor's force field?" Paul asked incredulously, surely the concept of turning what was science fantasy into science fact with the modifications to the gravity towers that help provide the artificial gravity the Orbanians helped devised.

"Which doesn't work on a planetary surface," John was grateful the Senator was responding, now if only he'd look at someone other than him, Helena or one of the USAF officers.

"In a gravity well," Victor didn't think it wise to interject, but felt some semblance of accuracy should be presented. John knew he was quiet because he didn't like to 'fight city hall' as he put it more than once. Its why Alpha isn't run by the British government, or this Torchwood that he alluded to every now and then.

It's not that Alpha isn't run by some government, its that Victor didn't have to deal with it that made the current set up palatable to who many considered to be the father of Moonbase Alpha.

"And that's only for initial formation, in theory one might even take it close to a singularity and the gravity would react against it to strengthen it as a kind of..." Victor was slowly gaining steam with even the watered down presentation of his theory, and drawing just about everyone around the table to listen to him.

Just about everyone.

"Professor Bergman, I am sure that is all facinating theory and will no doubt work well to protect US interest up here on the moon, however it means that it can't be used anyone in America to defend it from enemies against it." At least Kinsey was facing in Victor's direction, though still not looking at Victor, just past him.

"Commander," Sandra's voice and image showed up on the communication's post to the right of the Command office's conference viewscreen set in the wall, "Supergate activity...it looks like another visit from the Stragoth."

Senator Kinsey stood up, nearly shooting out of his seat, "I think this concludes our meeting today gentlemen. Now if you'll show me to the Asgard room, I'll be on my way." Tony entertained brief thoughts of having Xat and Xzuk escort the Senator but he dismissed the notion as it would be wasted. Kinsey couldn't see either Re'tu and if he could he'd likely say something that might precipitate an incident and he didn't want to lose his two Re'tu security guards.

They certainly gave a new twist on the thought of invisible friends.

"Allyn, N'Dole, come escort the Senator and his party to the Asgard room, with Dr. Russell," Tony spoke into his comlock, joining the others as they followed John up the steps and through the parting walls to Main Mission. Sandra had the image of the bioship up on main monitor already, the image clear and crisp as the Keck III telescope tracked the Stragoth ship.

Helena rose gracefully, and didn't show any of the contempt she had for the politician as her eyes met his, "This way Senator, Lieutenant Colonel." John caught the later-for-you glance she gave him and inwardly sighed. He would have to pay for having foistered the 'good' Senator onto her, though his weak defense was they had agreed earlier to do this in the event of an emergency.

Tony did a double take as he noticed that while Lt. Col. Samuels was leaving with Senator Kinsey, General Vidrine appeared as if he was going to remain with them. He was walking out of the Command office in their wake though he stayed up on the top steps as everyone else decended to the consoles of Main Mission.

He did ignore the General as he looked to the right of the 'U' configuration of consoles, where the Tollan, Karyel sat and just watched the main screen not touching her console at all. "Will you at least activate your cannons?" he asked with exasperation.

"No need to threaten them," she said primly and Tony thought he heard the overtones of 'savage' in her reply. John had at least weened her from referring to others in that manner.

"Primitives," Patir snorted almost to himself, John's talk with the Tollans were not universally successful. Karyel was receptive, the men with her not so much.

"Just like a primate, wanting to wave a club around before you know if it could hurt you," Greku mused shaking his head with disapproval.

John could feel the General bristling behind him, but since he didn't say anything best not to bring it up. He didn't think the General would make an issue of it, they need the Tollans after all and he wasn't Kinsey, not a man who needed to postur to show his strength.

"Same vector as before, Kano?" John asked and David Kano nodded after consulting the supercomputer Selene.

"Missile batteries ready, John," Tony reported and wished he could say the same with the ion cannons, "Shall I deploy the tanks?" They had three converted, two excavators and one that was used for towing. It would let Tony have seven missible batteries avaiable, four stationary, three mobile. With a nod from John, Tony snatched up his comlock, "Sanderson, get the tanks rolling out."

Greg Sanderson wasn't in Security, few were, but he was the best with surface exploration. The big Scotsman will keep the construction and miner workers-cum-tank drivers safe out there. Greg was the kind of guy who could put most of what Tony called his Security force in the infimary if they got on the wrong side of the man. He was also one of Victor's most passionate defenders, easily ready to start (or finish) a fight over the slightest perceived slight against Victor.

Someone Tony was glad was not in on the recent staff meeting with the visiting US Senator.

"And Reilly...this isn't the American's Alamo, no shooting until I say so, clear?" Tony wanted to make sure that self-styled Irish cowboy of a geologist and miner wouldn't treat his tank as if they missles were six-guns. A simple speed dial on the comlock and he was talking to the right man at the right time.

"We might have something like tank..." came the distinctive, though synthesized, voice of Xat from the comlock, and as instructed Selene placed an icon imagery of a Re'tu on it for visual reference. Tony rather like the thought of an invisible tank, though if it was like what Xzuk described as a ship, a flier as it was translated to be. Tony wasn't certain he wanted an insect looking tank...but he also knew he shouldn't be picky right now.

At least the Stragoth were not using a Leviathan again. Not since the first time, though Alan wasn't alone in wondering if seeing such a large ship flying at Alpha might prompt the Lieutenant General to pushing for Eagle funding.

"Mike you ready in the pod and all?" Alan talked into his comlock, setting it down on his console as he sat at what he hoped would be Reconnaissance station, where someone would act as mission control for the Eagles. Right now about all it controlled was the MALP for the Stargate.

"Roger that Alan. Ready to go up when you give the go," Mike Baxter confidently replied. Like Alan he loved flying and loved to fly as many different kinds of craft as he could. He even knew how to fly an old prop planes to modern jets. He wanted to fly the space shuttle, and jumped at the chance to fly a real alien spacecraft. So what if he might be expected to ram it into an incoming craft?

"Well just hold on there mate, we aren't asking you to go kamikaze on us just yet," Alan quipped as he checked the updates on the bioship's vector and speed.

The vaguely half hammerhead shark and half squid bioship continued on its way than started to change its vector, "They are changing course again, same as before." Sandra reported confirming what the past three times had shown.

"And you say they've done this three times now?" Vidrine asked his arms crossed, feet apart and a thoughtful expression upon his face.

"Yes, General," John wasn't alone as he heard the tone of a man wanting to help.

"After this is over, let's meet again. I have an idea that might help." Looks were exchanged all around Main Mission, but no one was going to say a thing, not even the Tollans, though for different reasons.

Once the ship had returned through the Supergate again, John found the General up on the Observational balcony with Victor and saw that the General was falling under his mentor's spell. He certainly looked like he was drinking in each word Victor was speaking.

"...you see the artificial gravity force fields should allow an Eagle to accelerate up to 15 of the speed of light, oh John, there you are," Victor broke off upon spotting his friend, "I was just explaining to Stephen here just what the Eagle is, and how it could really revolutionize space travel and exploration."

John noticed they were up to first names all ready yet kept that to himself, just because Victor could call the General by his first name was not permission for a mere Colonel to do so.

"General if you're ready, we''re ready," John stepped aside to let General Vidrine walk passed him. It wasn't long afterwards that Stephen Vidrine was looking around the table in the Command office offering hope where Kinsey had not.

"...I can't promise this will be easy, and it sounds on the surface rather bleak, but it puts you in the way of funding and you folks are way ahead of the others with an actual design that looks ready for a prototype."

"But 305? Can't you do better than that?" Paul asked thinking if the US was on the X-301 program, offering to make the Eagle the X-305 didn't sound like the favor he thought the General was trying to make it out to be.

"Paul, this does help," Victor intercepted other objections or explanations, "You see its not linear. That is its not like we have to go 301, 302, 303, and so on before getting to 305. It only means we are the fifth design or programme under General Vidrine's purview."

"Right, Victor," Stephen retook the conversation as its lead, "While yes, the 301 is likely to get the lion's share of the budget, and we have it as a prototype nearly ready to fly it by all means isn't our only plan for spacecraft. The others, 302-304s are in various stages of planning, and some are based on others before they could see the light of a CAD. What you have is ahead of them. We can funnel some funding for the Eagle, get it built and until those funds are needed for earlier programs, they can be freed up for the X-305."

He turned to look at John, "You can build more up here right?"

Nodding, he knew where the General was going with this one, "Victor has recruited from the various societies and groups he's been a member of like the L-5 Society and in case of our miners and some of the construction workers, PERMANENT, Program to Employ Resources of the Moon and Asteroids Near Earth in the Near Term."

"In other words, unlike the other programs, once you've shown it can be done, you've got the resources to build them on your own," Stephen emphasized, "That means a lot of hands off from Washington." Which many read into what he meant was Senator Kinsey, "Because all that will show up is manhours of work, not mining, refining or more importanly shipping."

He had already been standing, leaning over with hands on the conference table as he talked, but now Stephen stood up, turned and extended his hand to Alan, "Group Captain, you get a working prototype for me and you're set. I'll start the paperwork for the program when I get back." Alan was grinning fiercely as the two shook hands, rubbing his own together once they two had let go.

"Gentleman, if all goes well, it looks like we'll get an Eagle to fly over Moonbase Alpha."


	11. A Hundred Hours

A Hundred Hours

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, the Stragoth continue their flybys making more then one Alphan wish they could just shoot at them to give a change to the routine they have been making of this. Others believe that perhaps they are scouting out our defenses and looking to see if there are any changes made as they couldn't miss that construction has resumed on Alpha. With the X-305 program coming along, pads and hangars are being dug out and built up. Silos for the missile batteries and the two Tollan ion cannons are also being dug and built with the hope that the Stragoth may think the Eagle pads are just more deployable weaponry and hopefully scare them off. We do not know what they will make of the top of the quite visible Re'tu silo that is growing underground. While amid all of this some on Alpha are attempting to assist the SGC with a rescue of several SG members stranded on P5C-768."

"Well we can't really contribute directly to the construction of the particle accelerator, too many physicists spoil the formula," Victor was saying at a staff meeting, "But we can work on setting up getting a message to the trapped SG teams. Tolok here believes he knows how Sokar was able to use a particle accelerator for his hologram when he tried to force the SGC to give him Apophis last year."

"The particle accelerator, couldn't that be used as a weapon?" Tony asked thinking maybe his planned railguns were not the way to go. 

Both Victor and Tolok shook their heads with the former speaking for the both of them, "No, Tony. Not yet in any case. What Sokar did, and what Sam intends to do is a slow heat up of the material. Technically yes, it is being used as a weapon but its more like using a grill as oppose to a bullet. Both would kill, eventually with the grill, but only one is really useful in a firefight."

"While I did not ever serve Sokar, Heru-ur did have his priest know the technique," Tolok said surprising no-one by now that Jaffa priest were essentially the technicians for the Goa'uld, since their 'gods' called technology 'magic', priest as technomancers were allowed to learn their secrets to help maintain their 'magical' artifacts and ships.

Tolok had helped Tony go much further in developing his elaser, a weapon marrying the principle of Tau'ri theory of electrolasers with the principles of how a Zat'nik'tel worked.

Like Tony's experiments with brewing beer, he had a long way to go to get them working.

"I believe I can use the particle accelerator to form shapes in the air, symbols..." Tolok was going on as Tony inwardly lamented that this project would push his own back as Tolok wouldn't be available to help him.

"Symbols, John. Letters, we might even get words or sounds," Victor was pitching his idea to the leader of Moonbase Alpha and one of his star pupils, "I'd like to get a message to Guy, and the others that we are working on rescuing them. Even if it ends up being the Tok'ra or Tollan ship..."

"We are coming as fast as we can," Karyel hissed feeling slighted by the fact it would take nearly a year for a Tollan ship to get to Edora.

"Yes, and we are very grateful to you and the Tollan for going," Victor wanted to mollify Karyel as quickly as possible, with John noticing that she listened to him with actual respect as oppose to anyone else on the base. Even now she bowed her head slightly and sat back with a satisfied smile on her face.

"We will need to use up quite a bit of Selene's resources to model what we need, John. Since Tolok and I will be working with theory, and adapting it to our technology from the Goa'uld, much will be assembling a virtual accelerator, which will be updated with what is completed on the real one. It will probably take..." Victor looked at Tolok who looked back, "...three, maybe five days?" Tolok pause a moment and slowly started to shake his head.

"The eggs will be ready to hatch about then," Xat reported, actually the voder set up on the table reported, with the icon of a Re'tu showing on the communications post as programmed. Only one was visible on the screen there indicating it was likely only Xat there and not both Re'tu assigned to Alpha. 

"Oh yes, the eggs..." Victor nodded with the progress report, Tony beamed, and the Professor thought to remind everyone just what Xat referred to, "In the Nest, well that's not what it's really called, but it's the best Selene can give us on the translation. The Nest growing out there beyond the hydroponic farms section of Alpha.."

"Professor, why is it we can see it? I thought most things Re'tu were invisible because they and their technology is out of phase with our perceptions," Tony asked though he could see in some eyes around the table they wanted to know too.

"Special material, hard material. Our material soft. For harder material matter is ...different, like you and yours," Xat tried to explain with Victor nodding.

"You see, though 180 degrees out of phase conveys a tremendous advantage with perception, it isn't as robust as materials in phase with us," everyone knew Victor was simplifying, and because it was Victor Karyel kept the snide remark in her expression alone, "Now I know in light of how much firepower it takes to stop them, for structure sometimes a material in phase with us works best."

"Now an egg is a kind of Re'tu factory," he returned to his explanation of an egg, "Like a fabricator from Star trek, except its sort of growing, gestating inside what translates roughly as an egg. Several of them of course."

"So we'll have something like tanks and gunships in less than a week?" Tony asked eagerly. 

"Yes. About one hundred of your hours first prototypes will be ready," Xat answered Tony, and then brought up a related matter, "Would like more personnel to oversee...Nest and test prototypes."

"Let me get this straight. Prototypes, as in these are new?" John wanted to clarify something that wasn't clear when permission for their Nest was requested.

"Yes. Central Authority try new approach with alliance. More open war. Need war machines like tanks and fighters, spacecraft..." Xat might have gone on but Paul seething came to a head.

"So you're using Alpha as a...testing ground?"

"Yes. Not safe on Reetalia. If Goa'uld find, Goa'uld might begin anew hunt to extinction. Here, all in same floating cart."

"He means boat, I'll work with Selene on the translator," Kano promised. 

John thought about it. This meant Re'tu hardware, weapons they were developing for their war with the Goa'uld, and they wanted to send more Re'tu to Alpha for weapons development. A shared look with Victor and he knew the older man didn't approve at the same time was curious how much humanity could learn from the Re'tu with them conducting test of their technology right on their doorstep.

"I'll have to clear it my superiors, but I think it should be fine, Xat. Will they be staying in Alpha or the...Nest?"

"Nest. Alpha contingent will remain two, though whatever is developed at Nest is at Alpha's disposal for use." 

"Still, it will be great to have essentially stealth warships..."

"Warship. Nest only fit one at a time," Xat interjected with a correction.

"But the 'Nest' is over 200 meters deep..." Paul exclaimed incredulously.

"Warship that long, yes," Xat confirmed.

"And only one pilot?"

"Yes." 

Tony smiled a shrug impressed as the rest of them did and went on almost as if he hadn't been interrupted, "Well one stealth warship and mobile artillery...experimental or not is very welcome. Most of what we have up here is experimental, so whatever you're willing to share with us, please do so," Tony looked to the screen to see the equivalent of a nod since he didn't hear Xat actually affirm his acquiescence. 

"Speaking of getting things into space, Alan?" John asked his friend and head of the Alphan half of the X-305 program.

Alan put an arm around the two Orbanians who would be helping him, "Me and my mates will have a working model ready soon, John. A bit delayed with what Victor and Tolok want to do, but we'll fill up the time with something." The two Orbanians smiled slightly, despite the typical Urrone ever serious expressions they normally had, somehow the charismatic Australian had charmed them into smiling every now and then.

John recalled how hard it was when Pacal and Malinali arrived from Orban. Hard for those on Moonbase Alpha who saw at first just kids and knew the fate of an Urrone when they reach puberty. 

"Sounds like a plan then. Paul, make sure everyone knows about the diversion of Selene for Victor and Tolok, Kano work with them of course, remind them they have laptops so use them. Having Selene has spoiled more than a few, and Alpha shouldn't grind to a halt just because Selene is busy," John then looked around the table, "If there is nothing else? Okay everyone that's it for now."

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, work is progressing with the design of the particle accelerator and it is hoped that with so many brilliant minds working on it the stranded members of SG-1 and 8 will at least soon get word that they have not been forgotten, and help is on the way. Beyond what has taken up most of Professor Bergman's and Tolok's time with the design the other ongoing projects are still proceeding well despite the lack of availability using Selene to help. Group Captain Carter reports a working model in simulation for the X-305 program and today Alpha is getting back an old face and friend."

"Cyril," Victor said to his contemporary as the effect of the Asgard beam vanished leaving a fifty-something year old who came to attention to salute Paul before turning to his old friend, "Welcome back to Alpha."

Paul smiled at the retired Major, neither of them were on active duty in Britain's military, however with Cyril MacKendrick, Major Cyril MacKendrick of the Coldstream Guards, 7th Cavalry, he wasn't going to let such matters as 'retired' or 'reserve status' choke back years of military etiquette.

"So how are my tanks?" Cyril asked the gathered welcoming committee, accepting a kiss on his cheek from Helena. 

"Don't you mean -my- tanks?" Tony quipped with a smile, John looking at both of them with a smile of his own. 

"I think you both me -my- tanks, or did we forget who's in charge here?"

"Welcome back to Alpha," John added with a handshake, "Can't thank you enough for the work you did converting some of our construction equipment to tanks."

"Well, all in the name of unity and defense. Can't have the blighters think that we're easy targets. Still performing flybys are they?" 

"Yes, though not as frequently now," John answered as the group moved off towards the elevators and travel tubes, "I think they're worried about what the Re'tu are growing and the silos going in let us retract the missile batteries as well as the ion cannons below the surface."

"So how was your trip to Washington? Think we'll get dedicated moon tanks up here?" Tony asked eagerly, he really did appreciate what Cyril was able to do with what they had on base, however a dedicated tank designed for the moon would be best.

"Sorry there. They aren't going for it. Budget considerations I'm told. We are fortunate to get the X-305 some said. Not enough need for tanks in space others said. All in all, even with the company of that yank, Hammond, and Davis, it seemed a waste of time."

"Maybe help us," came the distinctive voice of Xat from the comlock Cyril was given by Victor on arrival. The old Major flinched, and looked to the nearest communications post to confirm that yes a Re'tu was there and looking at his own comlock confirmed he was talking to him. 

"Help you?" Cyril asked as the large party of greeters started to whittle down. Victor did want to stay and chat more, especially now, putting off going back to help Tolok for a few minutes more. However John, Paul and Helena had to return to what they were doing before Cyril arrived at Area 51 for 'beam up' as it was beginning to be called. 

Some started to refer to the two obelisks, one at Area 51 and the other on Alpha, as 'Scotty' unofficially.

"You see Cyril, the Re'tu want to be more active in their war with the Goa'uld and after they saw your tanks have begun to think that they could develop something like them for their use. They're growing a few prototypes now," Victor gestured in the general direction where the Nest grew in the lunar soil outside and beyond the hydroponic farms. 

"Travel tube complete to it. Want to see?" Xat asked putting a smile on Tony's face. He was still getting use to essentially his invisible friends.

"Perhaps another time, perhaps another time," Cyril begged off the invite, "We should talk more about what you're trying to work on. Is the ALE open?" Looking to Tony and then Victor for the answer. 

Slowly Victor nodded, "Yes, I suppose that would work. Tolok and I haven't really been at the Alien Life Experimental unit. Most of our work is either up at Main mission, my lab or down in Tony's Command Centre."

"Which reminds me, I better scoot, and sorry to run off but as you know Professor, Tolok agreed to look at my latest designs for making a Zat, that is before you steal him back for the accelerator." Satisfied he attended to minimal propriety among them Tony headed off to catch a travel tube. 

"And I really should get back to the accelerator before Tony talks Tolok into spending more time on that Zat project of his," Victor apologized as he headed off in the direction the Security chief just did.

"Well now, I guess that just leaves you and me, eh?" Cyril felt odd looking left and then right, for a moment thinking he was speaking to the air until Xat spoke up with a single, "Yes."

"You just missed Tony," Tolok said amused as Victor caught up to him, the Jaffa looked the same age as Victor, but was well over a hundred years old, "I sent him off to see my notes on his latest work. I think he is actually getting close to making what he wants."

Victor also caught that smile of Tolok's that said he had more to say and he waited for it.

"Of course the notes are in Jaffa."

"Well, he'll just have to hope that Anna is free from her studies of the Drs. Jackson's work," another of Victor's former pupils, the now Dr. Anna Davis was Alpha's philologist, here to study the alien languages in the outpost as they were written. Both men smiled thinking of how much Tony would have to go through to get Anna to stop what she's doing to translate for him. 

Selene could do it, but the supercomputer was busy with the priority project of the particle accelerator and David Kano was unlikely to interrupt her.

"I see the other Sam is also working on this," Victor remarked hours later.

"Other Sam?" Tolok asked as he looked at the latest update from the SGC.

"Yes, a few years ago, SG-1 encountered a world where they were duplicated down to their memories as robots. These robots," Victor was going on in his slow, methodical tone, "Thought they were the real SG-1 for a time. After it was all sorted out, they remained on that world."

He typed in a new sequence, and waited for Selene to include it in the recent model, continuing his narrative, "Recently contact was made with them and they helped rescue SG-6 from the Stragoth. This other SG-1 then turned SG-6 over to the Tok'ra since neither team's IDCs would get them access to Earth anymore. They were considered compromise...ah, here see that? Just as you said it might work."

"Using the vocuum to process the beam...I thought that would work," Tolok admitted and I see both Samantha Carters were able to integrate Tau'ri and Goa'uld technology to make this work."

"SG-1 brought it back from the training camp Apophis had set up and now you've worked it into the design of the particle accelerator to adjust the beam to produce a hologram?" John asked hours later. He wanted to make sure he understood what was going on. At the moment only he, Tolok and Victor were around the conference table. 

"That's right John, and using it, Samantha should be able to use the recording I made to send it through the gate and rock burying it on P5C-768, Edora," Victor confirmed for his friend, and looked ready to say more when Sandra's image and voice came up on the communication post in the corner.

"They are back Commander, the Stragoth and it is more than one now," she said calmly, or with the tone of someone trying to be calm.

"Sound an alert," John said rising, both Victor and Tolok following him to Main mission. He was walking the steps down to it when he snatched up his comlock, "Xat? You mentioned that warship of yours might be ready about now, is it?"

"Yes." Though even the synthetic generated voice something sounded uncertain. 

"Xat?" John thought he better call him on it. 

"Ready to fly," Xat stated giving no further information out. 

"...and be careful out there MacKendrick," John heard Tony as he approached the consoles of Main mission, "Remember driving tanks on the moon..."

"Is not the same on Earth, I know, I know, young man. I've had the lads drill with driving and firing. We won't let Alpha down."

"Baxter is ready in the Transport pod if we need him," Alan informed grimly, while the Stragoth had done flybys before with three of the ships it was thought something was going to happen this time.

"Non-essential personnel are gathering at Scot...in the Asgard room," Sandra caught herself and barely looked around to see who else may have caught her slip. Most eyes were on the main view screen, though her eyes did meet Paul's and she felt the blush as his gaze was one of someone amused but not going to speak of it. 

"Xat, who is going to pilot it?" John asked, though several Re'tu had arrived to work on and from the Nest, who was doing what had been lost on him.

"Gxak," Xat replied which made more than one Alphan in Main mission blink in surprise. 

"Goes to show you John, we shouldn't generalize," Victor pointed out the unspoken assumption that Re'tu names began with an X. They had, after all heard the names of Xat, Xzuk, and some of the Re'tu they've talked to at the Nest were named Xkes, Xkun and Xond. 

"Ready for launch Main Mission," Gxak now spoke and Sandra looked up at Paul who looked to John who nodded.

"Gxak you are clear to launch in five...four...three...two...one, launch Gxak," Sandra had the protocol worked out ahead of time with Xond. 

"Switch view," John ordered and Sandra changed the main view from the incoming Stragoth to the blue carapace looking 'star fish' top of the Re'tu silo named the Nest. The star fish split open and a great gout of plasma erupted like one might expect out of a missile silo. 

"Selene is adjusting our view," Kano volunteered so everyone would know what his, and he did consider Selene his, computer was doing for them, "Transphase processor working with radio telescope."

They saw rising out a computer generated image of what Selene was sensing with the radio telescope, "I tell you Kano, Selene has a future with Pixar if we ever have to close down Alpha," John remarked to the smiles of most around.

"Did you plug her into watching Star trek by any chance?" Tony half joked as that Re'tu ship with its tulip like nose, long stemmed neck and bulb at the back with three fins or wings looked suspiciously like something he'd seen in one of the series, though he didn't know which.

"Species 8472?" Kate Bullen volunteered after a long pause, looking straight at the screen and not at anyone who possibly was looking at her, which were quite a few, "Not that I'm a fan, just remember it from a niece of mine watching the show." 

No-one thought to challenge her on it because they had to agree, those that had seen the shows with the bioships the resemblance was uncanny.

"Liked. Design." Xat said to end the speculation. 

"Well it's not like the Re'tu could be sued for copy right violations," Tony snarked to more smiles around Main mission. 

"We're in position," Cyril reported. 

"Missile batteries raised," Pyotr Petrov reported on a screen on Tony's console from weapons section, he looked up and across from him where it used to be medical station, but now its where Karyel sat and now sighed, "Raising ion cannons."

She sounded bored and did not believe this was any different than the flybys before, "Ion cannons in place."

Her tone heated as she met Tony's eyes, not John's of whom she was really talking to, "I will not fire them unless they threaten Alpha directly."

"Understood," Tony said nearly under his breath. 

"Alright Gxak you're doing great on your approach," Alan said from his console, this was at least something he could do though he'd rather be up flying than on the ground playing mission control. 

"Thank you. Carter. Alan. Drink. After."

"Sorry Alan, the voder system isn't perfected with all the Re'tu, Selene keeps trying to give them all individual voices instead of falling back to a default voice," Kano apologized.

"Do we attack John?" Alan asked glad for once they had the option. Sure the Tollans had their cannons, but he'd had enough of their sneers and calling them primates each time it was suggested firing before the Stragoth could.

"No, have Gxak just take a position above and to their formation's rear," John didn't want to provoke them even though additional craft seemed to scream 'an attack' to him. 

"I'm picking up an IR spike, the lead vessel is heating up along a...slit in the front 'hammerhead' section," Sandra reported.

"Selene thinks that's a weapon powering up," Kano tilted his head listening to Selene through a Bluetooth he wore in his ear, he raised his hand to cup that ear as if that would make her voice clearer somehow, "She thinks its a particle beam weapon."

Victor leaned over Sandra's shoulder, "Let me see what we have here..." he stood up abruptly, "It's a particle beam John." His recent study let him recognize it immediately. 

"Tell Gxak to fire, lead ship!" John ordered Alan.

Karyel shot up out of her seat, hissing at Koenig, "Savage! It could just be just a warning shot!"

Everyone felt the slight moonquake as the beam impacted in the crater. Sandra's fingers flew over her keyboard, checking as Kano had Selene checking. 

"All sections report damage to Main mission at once," Paul ordered as he took looked over his mission control console.

"Selene says Alpha wasn't hit..." Kano paused, his station swiveling to face the back of Main mission and specifically John and Victor, "They hit the Nest, Commander."

"Still out of range of missiles or tanks, John," Tony informed and Karyel just sat back down saying nothing, in shock. Briefly Tony wished he could override her station, but knew non-Tollans were locked out. Genetic recognition security system, fine for protecting secrets, bad if no Tollans were available to fire when needed.

"Why hasn't Gxak fired, Alan?" John demanded wishing to do -something-, Alpha wasn't hit, but the Re'tu are allies and Alpha might be next.

"He says his weapons systems are offline, or the equivalent," Alan was listening through a Bluetooth himself, "Weapons hadn't been tested...wait he says they're building up a charge."

They saw on the viewer a sudden splash of plasma, a large scaled version of their personal weapons. Not only did it hit the Stragoth it seemed to affect the other two, or they were linked to the lead ship. 

"All three are diving down towards the crater floor Commander," Kano reported Selene's projection.

"Maggiore, we can hit them. Give the order lad," Cyril's voice floated up from one screen on Tony's console.

"They're in range of the tanks, John," Tony reported triumphantly.

"Fire!"

They fired, missiles streaked upwards towards the Stragoth ships from the tanks, naquadah-enhanced warheads took it from there. Earth didn't have the weapons of the space going races, and Alpha wasn't on the top of the list to receive what Area 51 developed immediately, but the SGC did not intend on leaving Alpha with only make shift or conventional weapons.

Karyel was the only one glowering as the three Stragoth ships exploded from the volley of missile fire. Everyone else in Main mission were either cheering, or had a huge smile on their faces exchanging looks with other Alphans.

"Good shooting, MacKendrick," John felt the older man preferred being addressed by his surname at times like this.

"Pearly here wouldn't fail me and the lads took their cue from her," Cyril said proudly.

Eyebrows went up, Paul's, Tony's and Alan's as the three exchanged looks, with Tony mouthing, 'Pearly?'. He couldn't believe Cyril named the heavy tracked vehicle once used for towing and shunting applications and now turned tank, Pearly. 

"Well get back to base, and good work all around," John said to the smiling face of the retired Major.

John then turned to Paul, "Have Greg get a team ready to go out there and see what, if anything remained of the ships. Most of the fragments landed in our crater after all."

"Sandra, dial up the SGC, let's tell them the news. Hopefully this will persuade them from further flybys, or more mischief." John looked around, morale was up, Alpha didn't feel defenseless, Tollan cannons notwithstanding, and he felt in control of the situation for once. 

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental, 100 hours since SG-1 and 8 were stranded on P5C-768, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. Leading a rescue team to the Re'tu Nest found that they were fine from the blast of the attacking Stragoth ship. Xkes was rather proud the Nest withstood the blast and no casualties among his people. Under Group Captain Carter's direction from Main mission, Gxak is completing a test flight around the solar system, though declined testing the hyperdrive grown into the Re'tu warship. The SGC has the finished work by Tolok and Professor Bergman and it is hoped that when the particle accelerator is completed a message will be able to get to the stranded teams. Moral on Alpha is high currently with the feeling we can defend ourselves and even our allies as well as complete difficult projects. Everyone feels there is hope and our time here on Alpha will not be wasted."

Author's note: Yes a slight Space Above and Beyond crossover as I 'borrowed' the character Major Cyril MacKendrick from the episode "Pearly". I didn't want to make up a tank driver name and yet wanted to draw from a scifi show in keeping with the spirit of what I am doing. It was hard even finding Cyril's name. Tanks don't come up that often in scifi shows or movies. Eventually the tanks on Alpha will be upgraded to be like their appearance on the episode "The Infernal Machine". Like the rest of Alpha a slow evolution and an attempt to keep the Stargate flavor. 


	12. Have Moon Will Travel

Have Moon Will Travel

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, moral is still high even weeks after the Stragoth ships were shot down and they stopped their flybys over Moonbase Alpha. The Re'tu have conducted several more successful test flights yet remain cautious about the hyperdrive test.

We have had another possible alien ally show up, the Mondoshawan. This had both Tolok and Dr. Daniel Jackson of SG-1 excited. Apparently they have been among the many aliens to visit Earth in the past, in their case 1914 was their latest visit. High ranking Jaffa priest had not only heard of them but had worked with them on projects that did not so much benefit the Goa'uld but protected them and the people they ruled over. Tolok was happy to find out that the Mondoshawan had asked if they could have a permanent presence on Alpha. For now it would consist of an observer, Ytisan.

Certain personnel are getting to ring down to attend a wedding that is of official note due to some of the attendees from other worlds. This is the first function that several are attending and it is hoped that this will mean another step towards Earth becoming part of the ever larger galactic community. This will also leave Moonbase Alpha in the hands of Group Captain Paul Marrow as Colonel John Koenig will be heading to Earth for this function."

"Ready yet Helena?" John asked for the second time. It was more due to nervousness than trying to rush his wife. "We should meet Ferretti in the Ring room in a few minutes."

Helena smiled knowing why John seem to be rushing her, "Just finished the log, we can go now if you." John's expression somehow mingled relief with stress, and Helena walked up to him to needlessly fiddle with his tie as if straightening it.

"Paul is going to be fine running the base. He has General Hammond's confidence and Tony backs him up. Besides, Victor will be here to keep everyone in line," her hands dropped from his tie as her eyes looked up to his.

Now he couldn't help but smile however brief, "I know, I know Helena. It's just I also know Washington doesn't like the idea of a 'foreign national' in charge of Alpha." He could see his wife heard the quotation marks around the term, "They don't see this as an international coalition, but a purely US run operation."

"Well it's not as if we have some kind of international oversight advisory to fund us, no more IASA either, they're pouring their funds to Johnny's and DK's Farscape project. So it's the good old US of A who is donating the lion's share of the budget to run this place," Helena pointed out knowing her husband needed to talk this out before he could leave this behind and get to the wedding of her friend at the SGC.

"Yet," he simply said stopping the pacing he just started.

"Yet," she repeated then pressed on, "Look until orders come from General Hammond what Washington says and what actually happens are two different things. Why not let your CO worry about this? It is part of General Hammond's job you know."

John did and nodded, "I suppose I shouldn't go borrowing trouble."

"Right, and so are we ready to go down and leave certain grumpy faces here on the moon?" the not so subtle hint was heard and John's smile resurfaced on his face, "Better."

"You know John doesn't like it when you call him Johnny," he teased referring to John Crichton, son of fellow astronaut and friend John Robert "Jack" Crichton, Sr.

"He's not to happy with Little John or Junior either," Helena quipped glad her husband's mood had lightened, "But he will be glad if we make launch, since you had to turn down Command of the Space Shuttle to take him up."

"Not just me. Steve, Tony, Roger, we're all in hot water about that. It's a good think Jack understands. He's not happy, but he understands," having talked about old friends and not-so-old problems, John was now settled and ready to go.

Offering his arm, John walked his wife from their quarters to the Ring room. There they found Victor, Paul, Tony, Alan, and Louis waiting for them. Like John, Louis Ferretti was in his Air Force dress blues and not the Alpha uniform that was designed with the notion of unifying the base with all the different nationalities Victor recruited before the SGC took over to fully fund the base.

With the idea that they were pretty much living as most back on Earth would term a science fictional existence, the uniforms were influenced by the one show most knew about and coded their sections according to color. While it differed from the show that inspired such an identifying sequence, one could tell at a glance at their left sleeves that Paul is Main Mission department, color coded red, Alan of Astronautics, yellow and Victor matching Star Trek's traditional color for sciences, blue.

Tony still wondered why someone chose purple for Security, though this wasn't on his mind at this time.

"Ah Helena, looking wonderful," Victor complimented before they embraced, the other gentlemen adding their praise leaving her feeling especially nice.

John had just finished shaking Victor's hand when he turned to Paul, "Take care of Alpha while I'm gone."

"Don't worry John, it will be as if nothing happened when you get back," Alan interjected before Paul replied. The Brit gave the Australian a look that Alan shrugged off, leaving Tony smiling at the silent byplay.

Taking their places in the center of the rings, John nodded at Alan who was at the controls, smiled and though it had little to do with what they had seen on any of the treks said, "Energize." Laughing Alan hit the sequence and the rings came up around the trio, a flash of light, and in their place stood the Tollan Narim.

"Welcome to Moonbase Alpha," Paul said stepping forward to shake the Tollan's hand. He wasn't what they expected dressed in an Armani suit, but from the briefing Tony gave Paul, he recalled the Tollan was attending a wedding where few of the participants knew he wasn't born on Earth.

"Thank you for your welcome..." Narim briefly looked around, "I thought some of my people might be on hand to greet me?"

"We are," Patir said walking in, Karyel moved ahead and hugged him as the others heard an unfamiliar word, but not unknown to Victor of all people. This wasn't lost on Alan who turned to him, "Professor?"

"Tlahtli, Alan is a Nahuatl word, Aztec we would say, and means 'uncle' if I recall what the Keeper had told me. As you know humanity out in the galaxy came from Earth originally," Alan and Tony could hear the subtle shift in Victor's voice as he took on that easy tone of a Professor lecturing to a select class, "Hence why we're known as the Tau'ri, the first world. While I believe the Tollan either denies it, forgotten it or are just unaware of it, they are also from Earth."

This wasn't news to either man, not the fact about humanity, Victor did notice that they didn't realize the Tollans might deny this.

"It's not like they would refute such a claim, they are quite brilliant as a people, it is just they know they had never been enslaved by the Goa'uld, at least on their original homeworld of Tollan," Victor's measured tones wove its spell and the men weren't even aware that Paul and shown the Tollans out of the Ring room to where Narim will be staying.

Both Alan and Tony fell in to Victor's right as he did realize the room was empty and started to make his way to Main Mission still sharing what he learned from the Keeper, "They had in fact had been, or were about to be when the Furlings came upon them and rescued them from the Goa'uld-controlled Aztecs. Apparently the Tollan weren't Aztec themselves, but Mayans. The word you heard is a loanword from the encroaching Aztecs, though not even the Keeper knows why their language has a sprinkling of Nahuatl."

When they entered Main Mission all three of their comlocks gave a specific beep indicating a Re'tu was there. From the way Sandra seem to be talking to no-one in particular, the Re'tu was likely there, a fact supported by what was on the main screen.

"Another test flight?" Victor asked moving to a spot opposite to where Sandra seem to be directing her attention to when she talked. Since the Re'tu were somewhat solid one didn't want to bump into them though they typically saw a human coming and moved aside from their 'blind' allies.

"Yes, Gxak is out now, Professor. The Re'tu wants to make a last flight for a full systems check before they try out the hyperdrive."

"Finally," Alan said rubbing his hands together in glee as he sat down at his station, "Gxak was looking forward to that and I have to admit so am I."

"How did your drink with him go, Alan?" Tony asked with a voice attempting not to sound smug.

"If you want me to say out loud he liked your beer, you've just got your public endorsement," Alan said shaking his head, his eyes on his station's instruments, and waited a beat, "From the Re'tu. It still isn't fit for human consumption."

Smiles around Main Mission fell to frowns as more than one station picked up odd readings.

Kano's station swiveled around to face the others, "Selene says it is a power build up of some kind, but says it is localized to the moon..." he looked down and read more text, "In fact -in- the moon. Do you think something to do with Chandra Professor?"

"Sandra...your station should be set up to contact the Keeper," Victor drawled calmly, a center of serenity in the storm of ramped up tensions around Main Mission, "And call Paul. This may be something, maybe nothing."

"The Nest confirms Selene's conclusions," Sandra said feeling as if she were like the Keeper, trying to juggle many task at once and lacking the Keeper's extra limbs as her fingers danced about various keys.

After weeks of the Keeper's image not appearing in the Clam shell it came to a surprise to some as her image did snap into existence, her voice one toned with a sense of urgency, "Prepare for Transverse!"

No-one knew what that meant and eyes, both Re'tu and Human turned to Victor who shook his head, "I have no idea what that means."

"Whatever power generation is going on its spiking Professor," Kano tried to keep his voice even but it did raise in anxiety and everyone felt the moonquake that followed.

Suddenly everyone saw a white flash of nearly blinding light all around them no matter where they were in Alpha, the lunar surface or the Nest.

With the light and quake fading it was Sandra who looked up at the viewer first. "The stars...they're different."

Victor had a bad feeling about this, yet kept his voice calm, "Sandra, locate the Earth and put it on the main view screen will you?"

Her fingers flew over her keyboard, David Kano did as well at his station, he was still consulting with Selene when Sandra announced, "The Earth is...gone."

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental, Dr. Bob Mathias recording. It has been two hours since the phenomena we are calling Transverse. The term based on the word the Keeper had spoke before the moon changed location. All departments have called in and even out at the Nest no injuries or damage has been reported. Professor Bergman has spent most of the two hours down below with the Keeper. His return has signaled the assembling of the command staff as well as representatives from our allies on base. It is hoped that he has information not only about what happened, but concerning the fear of the moon's removal from Earth's orbit has left our planet devastated, or even destroyed.

Paul sat at the conference table painfully aware of the absent seat of John Koenig and feeling the weight of every person on Moonbase Alpha, Human, Jaffa, Mondoshawan, Orbanian, Re'tu and Tollan, on his shoulders right now. Inwardly he briefly smiled thinking about the huge Mondoshawan here in the Command office. Like the rest of any Mondoshawan encountered Ytisan was encased in some kind of armor, golden to coppery color.

He still wasn't sure how to describe them in a report, not that technically anyone has seen an actual one for like the Vorlon they all well suits, well armor in their case. All of which seem to be some bizarre cross of hulking elliptical beetle-turtle-armadillo with incongruously small heads that resembled a vulture's, though technically a humanoid with two arms, two legs. Paul had heard one American on the base describe them as a thickly armored Weeble.

Paul had to look up just what a Weeble was, and recalling that threatened his inward smile to come outward so best tend to the matter at hand, "What have you got Professor?"

"First thing to allay concerns, Earth is fine. No damage was done to our planet," Victor said addressing the main topic on every human's mind, "In fact they don't even know we're gone."

That created a stir around the table.

Alan was the first to speak after a snort, "How do you hide the fact the moon's missing?"

"Because Alan to them, we're not. What happened was not so much a teleportation of a kind, and we did relocate, but a...transferee, an exchange. There is -a- moon in Earth's orbit, just not our moon."

He waited as the din died down again, "Apparently Earth is not the only planet that Chandra keeps an eye out on and in order to do this, he exchanges place with other moons over other worlds."

"So we are in orbit of a planet somewhere else in the galaxy?" Bob asked trying to grasp what was happening, he knew Ben would utter one of his Californian phrases, this was one big happy trip for him.

Well, Bob would too once he could put his mind in order about what was happening including the more pressing issue on his mind now that the fate of Earth was settled, "And can we get back?"

Victor's slow nods relieved everyone in the room. "We are currently in our galaxy, yes. In fact after Kano went over the gate address the Keeper shared, we are in orbit of what the SGC called Heliopolis."

Narim as the Tollan representative looked puzzled, "Heliopolis?"

"A planet where an earlier Stargate mission discovered a database of knowledge from the Ancients, the Asgard, the Furlings, and the Nox," Victor explained as one word of the previous explanation stuck in Paul's mind.

"Professor you said 'currently' in our galaxy..." Paul fished for an elaboration he really didn't want.

"Yes, yes Paul," Victor had the tone of a teacher pleased with a student who caught onto a particular point of his, "Apparently Chandra is far larger than we thought and exists partially in higher dimensional states. I'm over simplifying, but to put...simply, parts of him extend to other moons around the universe, well several galaxies at least. What we did is 'ride' along one of his roots if you will to another place he is also at. Pulling this moon to where the moon that part of him was located and changing places like one might playing musical chairs. He can't go just anywhere, only to where a part of him is ...planted as the Keeper put it."

"So we can go back, we will go back won't we Professor?" Tony asked not as concerned, more curious on the time table.

"Oh yes, yes. Chandra just wanted to have a look around now that things have become active to him," Victor smiled and leaned back in his chair, "You could say we, that is I, am responsible for waking him up and now that he's sufficiently awake..."

"He wants to go on a walkabout?" Alan suggested incredulously, and Victor nodded.

"Shouldn't be too long," Victor then noticed the apprehension as most knew how old Chandra is, "Too long in our terms. I did ask the Keeper specifically about that. John and the rest will be quite worried when the moon they see doesn't have an Alpha on it."

Then he chuckled, with Paul prompting, "What Professor?"

"I was imagining how Eureka is reacting right now..."

"Eureka?"

"A town in the US...they have instruments on the moon, long story, in any case what it is a place where the Americans collect their intellects as a sort of think tank town. A friend of mine lives there, yes another former pupil, Henry, Henry Deacon and that is where Drs. Catherine Langford and Ernest Littlefield settled after SG-1 rescued Dr. Littlefield from the planet we're orbiting. You see it doesn't have an accessible Stargate anymore..." another chuckle, Kano this time prompted with a 'Professor?', "Another prize student of mine, Rodney McKay spends time between Eureka and Area 51...I was imagining his reaction to not being able to figure out what happened to Alpha...then again he might. He's quite brilliant, lots of promise."

"I'm sure Professor," Paul said noncommittally, then turned to the others, "Well, we signed up because we wanted to be apart of mankind's thrust into space. I say since we know we are going back in a relatively short time, let's not waste any more about what happened and take to gathering as much information as we can."

"Since its Stargate is not accessible and this is a database, do you think we could ring down to it?" Alan suggested thinking back to when he sent John, Helena and Louis to Earth earlier.

"Possible...but you might want to send something else down first, perhaps a MALP, Kano, do you think you could get one to the Ring room?" Victor asked and Paul just let the Professor go on, in many ways he is the father and founder of Moonbase Alpha, Paul didn't feel at all as if his authority was being undermined.

"Will go if can't get MALP," Xat spoke up slightly startling some. It was easy to forget the Re'tu where in on this conference despite the communication post showing the Re'tu image. Tolok wasn't among them as he had Ma'chello's treatment and could still sense Re'tu it just wasn't painful to his symbiote and by extension, himself. Paul wasn't the only one to notice the way Ytisan's head turned to look at supposedly nothing, apparently the Mondoshawan could see the Re'tu as well.

"Let's draw up a plan and have it ready for me in an hour...Professor any idea how long we might be here?"

"Probably a day at most, the Keeper did apologize for not giving us a warning, she promises she will do so for now on...and a day is partly to let Chandra rest up, and partly I informed him that Gxak is still out in our solar system. We don't want to strand him."

"Life support?"

"Should be fine Bob. I don't think Xnedk," and Victor seemed one of the few who used the Re'tu's name instead of the nickname 'Xat,' "Would be so calm if there was any worry about that."

"No," Xat simply said at first, then added, "Should use hyperdrive to get to Reetalia if cannot return to Nest."

"Alright, except for the panic the US are going to have, I think this should be fine. We'll meet back in an hour," Paul dismissed everyone to their work.

After that hour Paul approved of the plan for four parties, Greg Sanderson would lead a party to find and if possible clear the Stargate for future use, Clive Kander's party will go to the database to film and record as much as they could, while Victor leads a party to explore the surrounding area on the ground, Alan would take a transport pod to survey from the air. Paul had to smile thinking about how mixed the Professor's party was going to be.

Xkun and Xond, Paul thought at first, were going as security, but they are more of the scientist kind of Re'tu, armed like Xat and Xzuk but according to the appended note by Bill Lowry from Security, shouldn't be counted on to hit the broad side of a Mondoshawan. Paul made a note of his own to Tony that while Lowry's study of the Re'tu is appreciated his description should be less embellished.

Especially as Ytisan is also going down. Paul knew it would be a separate trip than the rest of the party. Few could fit in the rings with the eight foot tall Mondoshawan.

He'd have to deny the Tollan request, not all of them could go down. Someone has to man the weapons on the off chance hostiles did show up. Paul could guess who that would be and since Karyel called Narim uncle, she wasn't going to be happy that he gets to go and she doesn't. From what Paul observed over the months the Tollan have been apart of Alpha, if the guards split up then Patir would likely remain with her.

Paul found he was wrong, both Tollan guards were going. Apparently Narim is important to someone on the Curia and while Karyel did make her displeasure known, they would rather trust her safety to Alpha than trust Narim's to an unknown planet.

Everyone was united about the Urrone going. It wasn't a question to be considered, this was a unified front. Sure they were intelligent, bright, but to even alien eyes they were children. Though it seemed eerie to Paul how accepting they were of the decision, and wished Karyel had been so mature about it.

The last group was in the Ring room when Paul walked in, hearing a heated argument between Patir and Tony.

"And I don't care if your advanced society can properly take care of Professor Bergman's party, I'm sending my own guard along." Paul could understand Tony's temper, everyone looked up to Victor and no-one wanted to risk him. It seemed the Tollan took exception to that as they also admired him...for a primitive.

"I think it's more because his suggested guard is Bill Lowry who has worked with the Re'tu," Paul interjected hoping to calm things down. Yes Paul was ready for John to be back and deal with this. Leave him to run the base, John to deal with diplomacy.

Greku grunted, which caused Patir to calm down, Paul supposed that passed as some kind of conversation between two members of 'advanced societies.' Yes, he was ready for John to be back to deal with this.

Nor were the Tollan the only ones that could be counted on for firepower, Paul noted that Tolok brought his Staff weapon, though if he recalled from the file on the Jaffa they call it a Kara'bashaak'tak. Whatever one called it, its firepower and it made a good walking stick for the elderly Jaffa.

He watched them go and wished John was here again to worry about them, but he wasn't and that left Paul in charge to properly worry as he made his way back to Main Mission.

Victor finished the long pan with the camcorder he had and lowered it from his eye, "This is amazing...for fifty years this was Dr. Littlefield's home. All alone...and as we can see four kinds of dwellings in the distance. Shall we have a look?" Heads nodded in most cases, especially in Ytisan's, he didn't talk often and no-one had a clue what the Re'tu did at first, they only heard the chirped 'yes' over the comlocks.

It was a long journey to the first dwelling, Mondoshawan more lumbered, someone less kind would say waddled, at a pace Victor might have been grateful at in a few years but his drive for discovery still put a spring in his step.

The first dwellings did have script that was familiar and before Victor identified them, Ytisan spoke up for the first time today, "Ancients." Exploring what lay inside they found a dais of sorts with a chair in it, an alcove, and corridors that seemed to stretch out. It turned out lighting was not a problem for when they walked into an area, it came to life with illumination.

"I think it's you, Professor Bergman," Narim quietly pointed out, "Notice when you are around the Ancient devices work, when you are not they appear to go dormant. I don't know why but that is what I've noticed."

"Yes. Same. Only Professor present devices work," the gravelly voice of the Mondoshawan agreed, then turned his head suddenly, "Something else here."

Comlocks chirped with the voice of one of the Re'tu, "Life here. Like us, but not us. Run!" That was when they heard the Re'tu weapon discharge. "That way," Ytisan gestured, pointed with a thick armored finger, he had to shift a bit to get his arm in the right direction as it didn't have a huge movement range.

Greku nodded at Bill and both went in that direction. Tolok started off after them when he paused by Victor and looked up at Ytisan briefly, "Professor, if we have to run..."

Victor was nodding already, clearly worried. Mondoshawan were many things, apparently well armored, but fast was something one only called their spacecraft from what SG-1 reported.

"We saw Rings here...could they get to Alpha?"

Tolok found himself nodding with a spreading grin on his face. "Yes, Rings will make it."

Victor went over to where he thought he remembered seeing rings, somewhere around the corner from the chair spotted earlier. Silently he urged them to hurry as he heard Staff weapon fire, P90 and whatever the Tollan were using. What was ominous was the lack of Re'tu weapon fire.

Finally Victor saw Ytisan clank and lumber over, his arms slightly outstretched at his sides for some odd reason, and then it hit Victor. He was carrying something and if the founder of Alpha couldn't see it must mean the Re'tu. He had to -carry- them was the afterthought.

"Hurt bad, should go ahead, warn of incoming," Ytisan advised as he lumbered over to the Ring controls. His fingers were too big but something extended out of one of them and he used the slim rod, or tool to Victor's eyes, to press out a sequence on the controls.

Victor ringed up to Alpha, snatching his comlock from his belt, "Bob! Get Ben and a medical team, the Re'tu are injured." Clearing the platform in time for Ytisan to ring the Re'tu up, not that Victor could tell. Not until Pierre arrived with a TER to shine on the crumpled aliens.

Ben actually had one of the Tok'ra visors, how he got one few could guess, but he was directing the litter team to pick up one, then the other Re'tu and wheel them out of the way. It was a while later before others started to ring up. Ytisan, then the others came in the next two transports.

"Recall the teams, there is something like the Re'tu but much, much larger," Bill recommended to Tony who jogged into the Ring room.

After hearing that it didn't take long for Paul to call for recall.

"Good news, the Stargate is available to use again," Paul recounted to John once both Moon and its Commander were back, "We also know we can move the moon to other locals if necessary. However bad news is the lost of Xkun and there is something on Heliopolis we might not want to hurry to go back and see."

John Koenig sat back in his chair and considered what he'd been told and what he had read. "Thank you Paul," he began finally his mind briefly thinking about how Helena was likely having a talk with Ben who would take the loss of the Re'tu the hardest. Bob tried, but wasn't as well versed as Ben, or certainly not Helena, with Re'tu physiology. They could only save one Re'tu and it just happened to be Xond who Ben got to first.

Recognizing his wife might start blaming herself for not being here, John intended to wrap up this meeting with Paul soon. Yet he wasn't going to rush his 2IC out, there's enough guilt going around for everyone, however there was something else that should be thought about too. It was a variation of what Victor said to him just a little while ago as the Commander of Moonbase Alpha wasn't immune with self-incriminations either and guilt for being away when he should have been on Alpha.

"Remember the Re'tu knew the risk, so does Ytisan, and all of us Paul. This is a big unknown, all of this is and at the end of the day you have to think about what we accomplished, and not let what we lost. Then you hope that's the last lost you're going to have."

When Paul turned to leave he knew better than to ask if John believed this was it, life didn't work that way and both men were mature enough to know it. He did turn back as he felt a slight quake and raised an eyebrow as his eyes met John's right before the Keeper's voice called out, "Prepare for Transverse!"

Then everything went white.

Author's note: Unintentional crossover mentions with Eureka, it just happened that way during writing. However the crossover was very intentional with the movie 5th Element.


	13. The Eagle Has Landed

Eagle has Landed

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. We have just finished hosting a summit regarding the recent theft of technologies by the rogue NID agents and the mole in the SGC. Diplomatic relationships are strained but not broken thanks to the work by Colonel O'Neill and General Hammond. If not for them Alpha might have lost its Tollan contingent and while things have not always been smooth with them, the departure of their cannons would have severally affected Alpha's defense capabilities. For the moment, the Vorlon representative, Kosh is remaining on Alpha while the rest of the delegates to the summit have departed. On a different note another of Professor Bergman's former students had been cleared and has come up to Alpha to help develop an Alphan analog to the DRDs and apart from the diplomatic issues right now what has the base very excited is the final assembly and approaching test flight of Group Captain Carter's space vehicle funded by the X-305 program and called an Eagle."

Alan looked around the cockpit of the Command module again, noticing the windows in front, the many controls below it and around. Today only he would be going up on the first test flight, even though the Eagle cockpit could accommodate both a pilot and co-pilot side by side. In design this was a 'shirt sleeve' environment cockpit, but today in practice he wore what was becoming a staple of Moonbase Alpha, an orange space suit.

Closing his eyes he went over in his mind the vehicle to which should let humanity fly on their own in space. No Transport pod, no Tel'tak, just what humanity could build on its own. In fact with the silos under construction and the shop down below dubbed 'the Eagle's Nest,' Moonbase Alpha can build its own fleet of Eagles if the SGC gives the go ahead.

Sitting in the Command Module, what some have started to call the Nosecone Section, Alan pictured how the Eagle was put together. Command connecting to an Access Corridor, a short passage that links the Command Module with the Passenger Module. He had to smile at that, it really should be called a Multi-Module as it was the one part of the Eagle that could be swapped out for a number of mission types. Recon, Rescue, Supply, with even a VIP Passenger Module on the drawing boards. Right now it was just a frame work, empty for the first test flight. If Alan needed to get to Aft Section, which would normally connect the Passenger Module with the rear most Engine Compartment, he'd have to spacewalk to do it.

If the test flight goes well, next flight will be with a proper Passenger Module.

"Preflight is completed Alpha, how do I look?" he asked opening his eyes. In truth they had been closed only a moment, though it felt much longer to Alan.

"Eagle one, you are looking good. You have a go for lift off," Paul said from Main Mission. Countdown had already begun a while ago as this was treated like a Space Shuttle launch. In the future, if this all works out well, it might become more like an aircraft flight with Main Mission acting as traffic control, but for now it had all the detailed scrutiny as if run by NASA at their Mission Control.

Finally the last five numbers Alan wanted to hear were uttered by Sandra back in Main Mission, her accent still exotic to his ears, "...three...two...one...launch."

Thrusters underneath fired and the Eagle slowly began to lift from the pad it had been sitting upon. Alan could hear cheering in the background as the Eagle cleared the crater Alpha was located within and he ignited the main engines thrusting the ship forward. He even thought he heard the Orbanians cheering, which put an even bigger smile on his face.

Those two Urrone seemed like the Trek Vulcans, but he knew the old Carter charm would break through and teach those kids how to smile and have a laugh. Though in truth, laughter wasn't something he'd gotten them up to yet.

Alan ran the Eagle through different maneuvers talked and planned for months. Steering rockets were fired, maneuvering rockets, the artificial gravity, inertia compensators, the whole gambit of systems. "Now the big test Alpha, the speed test," Alan waited of course for permission by Main Mission. On the design board the Eagle could accelerate up to a tenth of the speed of light.

He listened to Sandra's voice as she steadily read off how fast he was going, her voice barely containing the excitement she obviously felt as the Eagle reached one percent of the speed of light and climbed, "...three percent, four...five percent, six, seven percent..." her voice was drowned out when she read off ten percent, as more cheering erupted.

John let the jubilation continue far longer than it might have if this was strictly a military base. He shared a smile with his wife and she had no inhibitions with a hug, they stopped short of a kiss as they looked around at the others in Main Mission.

Paul straighten up and walked over to John shaking his hand as Tony planted a kiss on Helena's cheek, "Hey, hey," John said in mock protest as spirits were high with as Victor had said, 'One of Humanity's great achievements' and right now the founder of Alpha was enjoying a celebratory cigar. Helena gave an obligatory look of disapproval but it didn't shake Victor's satisfaction with what was going on.

Alan settled the Eagle back on the pad and slowly went through power down procedures. Launch pad one was completed over a month ago and it lowered the pad into the silo with the doors closing over it as hydraulics finally settled the Eagle down at the bottom. It would take a while to pressurize this volume so he checked his suit and went through the Access Corridor to the where it acted as an airlock letting him out.

A gentle hop down and he was moving to the airlock into Alpha passing one of Freeman's drones as it waddled, quite Mondoshawan like, over the Eagle along with two others. He did think they were like bulky air-conditioning units with articulated feet and flash-cube style sensors, cooling vents and grabby little pincher arms, though to say plural with arms is a misnomer as each only had one arm mounted in front of their bodies.

He did pause to turn and call out to one drone with a number three prominent on its front and back, "Hey Louie be sure to top off the tank," Alan quipped over his suit's radio before moving on and into the airlock.

By the time he cycled through, Victor, John, and Helena were among the ones greeting him with handshakes, hugs and backslaps. John still held smile and hand as he asked, "Louie?"

"Lowell's drones, the R2D2 answers to DRDs, the first three seem to have more personality than the others so he named them Huey, Dewey, and Louie," Alan answered absently.

"Even Selene refers to them by name instead of number," Victor pointed out before the celebratory spirit of the Eagle's first flight swept them away.

Alan groaned the next morning as the aftermath of the celebrations made him nearly regret how hard he did celebrate. Still he had to smile as even that Tollan girl, Karyel seemed impressed by his flight. He conveniently forgot she said something like 'quaint,' while Patir actually shook his hand with a comment of 'Not bad for a primitive.' Greku gave a grunt, which for such an advance people he certainly had a limited range of expression more than Alphan had remarked. Alphan not necessarily human as more than one Re'tu had that remark about Greku.

Nor where the Tollan the only aliens to acknowledged his flight, Kosh gave him a kind of respectful bow, Ytisan nodded quite a lot, Tolok actually got the handshake right while Alan was told the Re'tu applauded. Of course, no-one but Selene heard them do that, but Kano assured him they actually did clap, Selene wasn't teasing him.

Now he remembered how he got so plastered, Gxak wanted to buy Alan a drink, actually several and while the Re'tu pilot was fine with some of the alcohol being offered at the party, he kept going back to Tony's beer. Alan was definitely going to have a talk with Tony about not brewing so much in the future.

Alan even recalled a congratulations from General Vidrine who ringed up from Earth to be on Alpha for this first test flight. He was impressed that Alan and his team were able to beat the X-301 project off the ground. While this wasn't the fighter craft the Pentagon wanted it was a spacecraft, an honest-to-God spacecraft made and flown by humans, Earth-born humans. Maurice Vidrine was proud to be apart of this.

Flight with the Passenger module or Passenger Pod as some called it, went well a few days later and soon other pilots Alan or Victor recruited were trying out the Eagle while completion for two others went head.

General Vidrine intended to push through the plans for more Eagles and was confident they would get approval as the material could be mined from the moon mainly and all it was likely to cost the SGC was man-hours of work.

Still he knew certain Senators might balk even at that, Kinsey being at the top of the list as the man didn't like the fact of so many foreign nationals at what should be a US only Moonbase. Maurice didn't care, his job was to get Earth spacecrafts and that was what was happening here on Alpha.

At the very least, Alpha would have three Eagles to use even if Washington was obstinate about building more. Maurice agreed with John and wanted all three ready before the next three major flight plans and missions were approved. He definitely planned on being back for as many as he could but he really needed to light a fire under the X-301 project's team.

Flying to the Supergate was not routine yet, but Alan had flown to it more than once in a Transport Pod. Not that there was any danger of anyone on Alpha becoming blasé about space travel, lest of all Alan, it was just a special thrill to fly an Eagle there and back. It was still amazing to everyone on Alpha, the Tollan notwithstanding and they were not sure of Kosh or Ytisan, that an Eagle's trip one way was 'only' about two hours.

Kelly Renner proudly wore a Canadian patch on his space suit on the journey, Alan of course sported the Australian flag on his shoulder. While on base the uniforms were made to reflect a unified effort, Victor did give in about showing some national pride with flags of one's home nation on the shoulder of the orange space suits and blue jackets proposed as an option to the uniform of those on Moonbase Alpha.

Colonel Ed Stryker had arranged a deal where the company providing the uniforms believe they are doing so for a science fiction movie or series being filmed. They were quality people, and didn't really know what they thought was a film about people on this 'Moonbase Alpha' the patches displayed was absolutely real.

They wouldn't believe the reality anyway.

"So Kelly, been out of the galaxy yet?" Alan quipped upon their second flight to the Supergate. The older man shook his head, "First time Alan. I understand you're a pro at it."

"Not with my own ship mate. This is the first time we're going to take an Eagle through, and test the dialing program. This time by Eagle computer, we know it works by remote. This trip we're just making sure we can get back."

"Yeah, Melita will never forgive me if I didn't come back to her," Kelly remarked with a dreamy look in his eyes. Alan could tell the Canadian astronaut had it bad for the Italian girl in the Service section and from what Alan heard, she had it bad for Kelly too.

"Eagle one, you are approaching the Supergate, start dialing with the onboard computer," Sandra's said from Main Mission.

"You hear that Alibe? Dial away luv," Alan called back instead of using the intercom.

Back in the Passenger pod, the African American woman smiled and shook her head, "Ready Alan!" Alibe Parle was in a space suit like Alan and Kelly, her helmet nearby and a headset barely touching her close-cropped Afro. "Chevron one encoding..." she began and up in the Command Module between the two seats a view screen showed the graphic of he gate taking up most of the left and center with a row of eight boxes stacked to the right. One-by-one the boxes were filled with a chevron as what is believed to be the Furling galaxy was chosen for this test flight of the Eagle.

They had not only been through to this address before, but the Keeper reported that Chandra had 'rooted' in the moon of the second planet close to the sun of the system, the chlorine-breathing life there was 'most promising' the Keeper had mentioned. "While Chandra would balk about supererogative tranversitions," she began when the subject was brought up, "retrieval of a stranded team is something he is willing to do."

Victor thought back to that conversation as Alibe read off the chevron count. "Why the sigh, Keeper?" he had said a moment after she did what he thought was a sigh.

"Chandra had been rooted to the third world as well, but the moon there is gone. He does not know what happened to it, but the memory of that passing root is that the moon shattered, possibly by a collision of some kind." It was a very sobering thought and even more reason for Victor why mankind had to go out to the stars. Humanity wouldn't end, the Goa'uld and their transplanting of humans across the galaxy saw to that, but civilizations of Earth could be destroyed by aliens or by cosmic events.

It was time to leave the cradle, he mused once more, and remembers to carry what humanity had been on the way out.

"Chevron eight locked," Alibe finished as she saw on the view screen to the left and forward of the passenger module and the pilots of Eagle one saw both on their view screen and out the windows, the Supergate erupt with the familiar kawoosh and settle into an event horizon the Eagle was tiny in scale against.

Across the isle from Alibe, Victor looked on with eager anticipation, while seated beside Alibe, June Bolton started to run a post-dialing diagnostic on the computer. David Kano's assistant wanted to make sure that before they went through the gate, their dialing program didn't have any bugs in it that would strand them on the other side.

"Can't wait to get on the other side Professor," said from behind Victor. The self-proclaimed Irish cowboy, Dave Reilly rubbed his hands in anticipation. There was a planet in the system the other Supergate was in that had a lot of geologic activity, nearly on the scale of Io, though the size of Earth. He couldn't wait to take a look as their flight plan called for another flyby of that world.

"I am sure it will still be there Dave Reilly," Tolok said from the seat next to Victor's. The cowboy sat back, not sure if the Jaffa was teasing him or not.

"The planet is unlikely to have gone anywhere, do not fear Dave," came the German accented voice of man next to Dave, Ernst Linden, the astrophysicist was along for this journey since he contributed to the Eagle's main propulsion design and he wanted to study that system dynamics which would cause a planet to turn from what Keeper had described as a lush, beautiful world inhabited by poets, philosophers and scientists to a volcanic furnace overflowing with lava and an apparently uninhabited. At least from previous flybys everyone on Alpha -hoped- the world was uninhabited by now.

"Relax Tex, it will be still be there," a trying-to-sound-relaxed-when-excited Doctor Ben Vincent said. Despite the months on Alpha Ben was still amazed by everything new and how 'scifi' his life had become. Bob was a bit more cautious, Raul too laid back leaving Ben to practically jump for the physician spot for this trip. Helena simply had too much to oversee with the alien physiology cataloging Washington was pushing for her to complete.

They didn't realize the study of the Mondoshawan DNA alone could take one the rest of their lives as apparently it is far more complex than human DNA. They were pushing for her to settle on how complex and she had her friend Maureen come up from the SGC to help out. It left Helena unable to take this trip, which meant it was wide open for Ben.

Leaving the last two out of eight seating for Clive Kander to film this historic flight and Bill Lowry to round out the crew for Security. Not that anyone was expected to land or disembark at all, Tony just wanted to make sure someone from his department was along just in case.

Turned out he wasn't needed. Not that Bill minded of course. After the time down on Heliopolis, he wanted boredom in place of the alternative. The flyby was uneventful from his point of view. Ernst and Dave along with Victor of course, collected more data now that they had instruments they could understand rather than what a Transport pod contained or what Keeper would allow installed.

"I'd love to go down there," Dave said as the flyby was over and Alan was taking them back to the Supergate.

"And we will Dave, we will. Going over the data we collected we'll have an idea where is a safe place to land, after all, you would like to get off the world you land on, ya?" Ernst asked with a smile and patted Dave on the shoulder.

"Which reminds me, Professor," Dave raised his voice succeeding with his goal to catch Victor's attention, "When are we doing a planetary landing test?"

"On Mars Dave, which should be the next mission," Victor said absently, his mind was on the data collected as he noticed and muttered out loud, "Atmosphere...the atmosphere is breathable."

"So there might be something still alive down there?" Tolok heard and asked his human friend incredulously.

"In all of that? Unlikely Tolok, but it would be quite a feat of survival if there is something alive down there. We'll go take a look of course, one day. Yes, one day we'll return and see if there is still life somewhere down on that world." He didn't hold out hopes though after that conversation with the Keeper. Something shattered the moon, not too long ago if he is reading his instruments correctly and that likely contributed to the planet's current condition.

It made for a very sobering return flight, he didn't even hear the successful chevron lock and opening of the Supergate to get them home.

"Eagle one you are cleared to launch," Sandra announced after the countdown, it was gradually getting routine, not that anyone was going to neglect things anytime soon. "Roger that Main Mission, Eagle one lifting off," John's voice echoed in the over two story tall space.

This time the crew wasn't as full as the trip through the Supergate even though the destination was far closer. While General Vidrine might not care too much about the crew compliment for this trip, his superiors did and one Senator Kinsey wanted someone from the good old US of A in charge of the first manned mission to Mars.

So Colonel John Koenig was tapped as mission commander, he was the only American Alphan qualified, much less from the USAF. He sat in the pilot's seat, Alan as his co-pilot. There was no way he was going to miss out of this. The Australian wasn't even disturbed that Washington insisted that John be the one to take that 'first small step' onto the red world.

As important as this was however, this was the first planetary landing and lift off test. So fewer equals safer was the philosophy John followed for this mission.

Clive went along to film of course, it was likely he was going to be on every first for a mission, John thought it prudent for Pete Garforth to come along as one of the engineers who actually built the Eagle. If something were to go wrong, between Alan and Pete they should come up with something. Tony normally wouldn't insist on coming, the head of security going is the stuff of television and films not reality, but since the US was making a show of their presence on the mission he felt Italy should be there too.

With a disembarkment planned this time it justified someone from Security to go along, if he had any guilty thoughts about putting himself on that slot his national pride pushed them aside.

DNA report or not, Helena wasn't missing this trip. Besides, it wasn't that Ben wasn't interested in Mars, he just wasn't interested enough to tear him away from his Re'tu and alien life studies once Helena showed him what she had found out about Mondoshawan DNA.

Unlike Tony she didn't feel guilty about luring Ben off the mission to put herself in the medical slot. How often does one get to make history like this after all. Besides it was just over an hour jaunt, shouldn't be gone long. Well, the trip wouldn't be long. She imagined prying the boys away from the planet might take a bit and it wasn't as if she were so jaded that she was in a rush to leave Mars once they arrived.

Nor was it, John didn't keep the Eagle at .10c the whole trip, but it was fast enough to keep it under two hours. Soon enough they were approaching Mars.

"Big Red," Alan quipped as the sight grew to his eye out the windows as it had been on the view screens.

"And we can't tell anyone back home about it," Victor said leaning in the doorway of the Command Module, "First manned flight and it might be years before the public knows."

"Price we pay, Professor," Alan acknowledged not letting that fact dampen his spirits.

"Alright, here we go," John said guiding the Eagle to Mars orbit.

"There is something interesting...a kind of structure inside Olympus Mons...I wonder why earlier probes missed it," Victor mused as he studied his instruments hours later, "John could you take us in for a closer look."

"Sure thing Victor," John replied while moments later they barely felt the slight dip as the Eagle change course and descended towards the largest volcano in the solar system.

"John..." Alan said as he began looking at his instruments, "I'm getting a power build up of some kind, IR spike..."

"Commander, Professor...I'm getting something on the telescope...oh oh," Clive said and quickly tied in the view screens to what he spotted.

"That's a kind of city..." Victor mused looking up at the image and then saw what Clive did as John now spotted and yanked on the yoke even as a bolt of energy flew up out of the volcano and through the space the Eagle had just been in.

"John that's a Ha'tak," Victor stated the obvious to one of his favorite pupils, though it would be kinder to think he mentioned it on the off chance that no-one was familiar with a Goa'uld mothership.

"Nearly half an hour before we could let Alpha know," John mused soberly as he nodded for Alan to fly the Eagle now. He needed time to think and Alan is the better pilot anyway, "O-kay, unless they launch we should be fine. We're below the lip of the volcano... out of the line of fire."

"Main Mission should be getting a constant feed from Eagle one, so in another twenty minutes, they'll know what we have found," John informed everyone to keep the Eagle crew focus and calm, "General Vidrine is there and the SGC is just a call away. If we need heavy firepower, I'm sure we can call upon our allies the Re'tu to have Gxak launch and come to our assistance, plus we have two other Eagles."

John knew the speech was mostly for Clive and Pete, Alan, and Tony knew the Eagles were armed with rail-guns and a modified staff weapons. They really wouldn't do anything to an Ha'tak, and John mused that Victor probably figured that out already.

It turned out Victor wasn't even paying attention to John's oration.

"I don't think we have to worry about the Ha'tak launching just yet..." Victor once again had a contemplative tone to his voice, a man coming back into a conversation he left to make his studies, "Look here and here...it's partially buried, and at an angle. Could be a quake or something caused the ground under it to give in."

"So it's trapped, Professor?" Pete asked to affirm as he looked intently at Victor.

"Yes, Pete, that's my current opinion, but we really should take a look to see," Victor pondered out loud then raised his voice, "John?"

Fortunately the Commander of Alpha agreed, "Alan, try to find a good place to set down. We need to test landing and lift-off anyway and I think we want to talk about what we should do next."

Paul was pacing, and that was the only reason John wasn't. When Yasko received the flight logs from Eagle one, she immediately woke Paul who then woke John. By the time Commander Koenig made it from the warmth of his wife and bed, just about all of his staff was at Main Mission.

Lieutenant General Maurice Vidrinestood at the top of the stairs leading from the Command office to Main Mission. His legs apart, his arms folded over his chest as he watched Paul slowly pace just along the length of the rearmost part of the U shaped control consoles. This was his show and he wasn't going to step into their chain of command unless necessary.

Hammond wouldn't appreciate it and he wanted to maintain a good working relationship with the CO of the SGC, Major General George Hammond.

"So we have a downed Ha'tak on Mars and from what it looks like it has been there for a while," Paul asked Kano though he didn't use the man's name, "Eagle one is not trapped, right?"

"Yes, Paul. Eagle one can lift off and take a trajectory that does not put them in sight of the Ha'tak to be fired upon," Kano said his station swiveling around to face him, "Selene went over the film and sensor readings sent back...presented two scenarios. One is that this Ha'tak had landed and the ground gave way under it. The more likely one as evidence by a city around it is that a Marsquake caused the ground under it to collapse."

"General Hammond will want more of a report. The question is can we give one to them?" Maurice spoke up after a long period of silence.

Paul was already shaking his head as he had considered that while going over Eagle one's finding, "Their suit's mission packs won't last them the climb they would have to make unless the base of Olympus Mons has some secret passage, which we cannot discount."

"Why do think there even may be a secret passage?" Maurice asked to hear more about this.

Leaning over Yasko's shoulder he typed a sequence and on the main view screen the image of an above looking down shot of the interior of Olympus Mons with the Ha'tak among the ruins of what might be a base or city appeared. Paul typed another sequence and circles appeared around the rim of the volcano at regular intervals. He nodded once to Kano who took up the narrative.

"Selene thinks these are some kind of emitters General, likely to keep it hidden," Kano began in his cultured tones, "They could be multifunctional, acting as a shield of some kind as well as camouflage. Though if camouflage the question becomes who were they hiding from?"

"Any indications who they might be?" Maurice prompted with Kano going over his notes again. Selene had a lot of information even summarized and condensed.

"We think Goa'uld posing or influenced by the Greek or Roman period. With Selene enhancing and zooming in on some of the ruins, Dr. Davis was able to make out some of what appears to be inscriptions. Something about Mount Olympus, but it could be just a reference to the volcano itself, still the architecture fits that pantheon. We've sent what we could find to the SGC along with the report to General Hammond."

Paul could see General Vidrine wanted a bit more information and added, "We hope either Drs. Jackson will be able to give us something definite. Right now we have a lot of estimates that we're politely calling guesses. They're just ones Selene can put some numbers to and the percentages of accuracy are rather high."

He knew Kano would rarely admit that his supercomputer might do something like guess, so he felt he better say it. Technically he knew he was in command of Alpha, but for all intents and purposes this is an American facility, and General Vidrine could take command if he deemed he should. Paul didn't want to have the situation come up where that happened, it would be a very bad precedent to set.

Like many Alphans he felt this was Victor's show and John let it go that way, someone else might not be so accommodating.

"Group Captain Marrow, a word?" Maurice asked and Paul walked up the stairs to the USAF General who now spoke in quiet tones, "I know this is important to investigate. But from what I can see on that screen it is not going to threaten Earth anytime soon. I'd like the X-305 to get back here and then later, Alpha and the SGC can organize a properly outfitted mission."

Paul could tell it wasn't an order, not yet, but a very strong suggestion. If he was honest with himself he agreed with it. Eagle one is not equipped to explore or try to deal with whatever is in that Ha'tak. The reason the Eagle has probably not lifted off yet is likely because John doesn't want to leave Mars until this is resolved. Yet Vidrine gave them both an out and maybe the American General knew that.

"Thank you, General Vidrine," Paul said coming to a decision. Walking down the steps he moved to behind Yasko as she sat at her station. "Get a message to Eagle one. Message to read, get the X-305 home. Repeat get the X-305 home." Paul knew John would get the message he didn't send.

Over thirty minutes later John did and sat in the pilot's seat on Eagle one considering it. "Paul said X-305, not Eagle one," Victor said from the doorway of the Command module, "That would sound to me as if it came from Maurice." John had to inwardly smile as he recalled how the two had gotten to the point where Victor could call the General by his first name and not give offense.

"But if it was an order, why not say that?" Helena asked from beside Victor, it was an impromptu command meeting of sorts. Tony would have normally squeezed up there or they retreated to the Passenger module, but he wanted to keep an eye out on the sensors and found Clive's camera mounts a welcome addition to get many views around the Eagle.

"Vidrine has the authority John, so why isn't he using it?" Alan asked as mystified as the others. Then it came to John.

"He wants to keep this just an Alpha affair," he could see the others give him a blank look, and realize Alan might understand soon enough, but Helena or Victor were unlikely to without some explanation, "He doesn't want to set a precedent. Where he is on base that he will take command."

Victor smiled, "So he's letting us, letting you John, make the call without any official order."

"And by having Paul send the message to the X-305 he's letting us know what he wants without making it an order someone in Washington might use to get you out of the seat John and put someone like him in charge," Victor said looking at his former pupil.

"Well, someone else, Professor. I don't think the General would do a bad job. Seems cut from the same cloth as Hammond," Alan countered, hastily adding, "No offense John."

John was smiling, "None taken Alan. We'll come back when we're better prepared and soon. Since the Ha'tak's weapons are working, other things might and we don't want to find out the hard way that it might not be as trapped as we thought."

"Alright Alan, get ready for launch," John said getting up, "I'll let Tony and the rest know what's going on and why. Then we'll head home."

"Eagle one on final approach," Sandra said having resumed her station about an hour ago. Main Mission was a host to many observers as the main view screen showed the Eagle in flight. General Vidrine, Tolok, Ambassador Kosh, Speaker Ytisan, both Orbanians, the three Tollan, and Kano -said- four of the Re'tu.

"Eagle one touching down," Sandra announced, "Eagle one has landed.""

Author's note: Before someone assumes I didn't research this, yes I know an Eagle in the series had a max speed of .15c. I am starting at .10c to have future developments get to .15c and after the 302s, 303s and 304s come up, I will likely have the Eagle able to go faster. Also another crossover though I'm not sure how many has seen the 1972 movie Silent Running. Not only do I love the drones in it, I also thought their design, their shape does have a sort of Space: 1999 motif so I decided to import them into the setting. One last note is the description of the planet they flew by in the Furling galaxy is actually Psychon. Maya will enter the story in the future, this is setting up for it.


	14. Alien Moon

Alien Moon

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, with the SGC mobilizing to rescue SG-1, Alpha wasn't so much called in to assist as it was found that there was something Alpha could contribute to the effort. Area 51 had been studying the Goa'uld glider designed to fly through a Stargate for months now and hoped to use it for this rescue operation. When Tolok heard about it he informed Alpha that he knew where another cha'tak as his people calls it, may be located. He and Group Captain Carter, who is expected to go on the rescue mission, have departed to retrieve this craft. In other news, our Mondoshawan allies are arriving to help construct more silos for the other Eagles Moonbase Alpha will build as well as help expand Alpha to the size and plans Professor Bergman had hoped for. In addition, to the surprise of some our Re'tu allies have successfully helped negotiate an alliance with the Confederacy of Free Systems. A mostly human, with some Jaffa and ruled by one Goa'uld, government that is against the System Lords which puts them on the side of those who the rest of the galaxy call the Tau'ri."

"But only Alpha, not Earth," John pointed out after patiently waiting for his wife to finish recording her report.

"Well the NID didn't make any friends when caught stealing from one of the Confederate's worlds," Helena reminded him, "We're getting far more this way than the way they had been operating."

"True, Victor's last report sounded positively giddy," John was rewarded with a giggle from Helena, a subdued, dignified one, but enough to call it a giggle in his book. They both knew how excited Victor became when it came to knew knowledge, "Apparently they want to send representatives as well as work on joint projects. He's hoping this will lead them to talk about that reactionless drive of theirs."

"All thanks to SG-X," Helena quipped as they made their way out of the medical center.

"SG-X, how did you hear of that?" John knew about base gossip, he was just stunned it traveled -this- fast.

"That the robot duplicates may be getting that designation? John, I'm surprised at you," she couldn't help but tease.

"Well I think that when they look into a FTL drive for Earth they should look into whatever waves propagates gossip and rumors."

Paul was proud of himself.

Figuring out how to get the 'gate glider' Alan and Tolok brought back down to Area 51 was tricky, but he worked out the logistics. The tension Tony was exhibiting with his pacing, a less kind observer might say prowling, nearly took the edge off that general feeling of satisfaction Paul had.

"We will be fine you know, Tony," Paul tried to draw the Security Chief out from his concerns with Louis, some of his men -and- the two Re'tu guards off to help rescue SG-1.

"It's not like I can see them when they're around, right?" Tony replied though to Paul's ears it sounded as if the Italian was trying to convince himself not him.

"Of course," the Brit replied concluding that Tony was talking more to himself than him.

"Group Captain Marrow," the face of the Keeper appeared in the clamshell situated in Main Mission, "I was updating Chandra on the situation you face with the rescue of SG-1 on what you call P2X-416 and it appears Chandra has a root on one of the moons there."

Both Tony and Paul looked at each other with the latter giving a nod to the former. Tony snatched his comlock from his belt and hit a button, "John, you better get to Main Mission. The Keeper has news that we might have another option for going to rescue SG-1."

"Isn't that premature, Tony?" Sandra asked from her station, "Just because we may get there, it does not mean we could do anything from orbit."

"The Eagles could get down to the planet and back, they're a proven transport," Paul pointed out before Tony could launch into a lecture in Alan's absence. Though knowing Tony in his current tense mood, Paul figured it wouldn't be so much a lecture as a terse affirmation the Eagles could do the job.

"What have you got for me Paul," John asked as he entered Main Mission with Helena by his side.

"The Keeper believes we can transverse to P2X-416," Paul reported with a raise of his chin towards the now empty clamshell, "This gives another option for rescue of SG-1 in case the gate assault doesn't work."

"Keeper," John called out to the clamshell and was rewarded by the crustacean like face of the alien, "How long would it take for Chandra to recover and be ready for Transverse after we get there."

"It translates to twelve of your hours Commander Koenig," the Keeper replied, his image fading after John thanked her for the information.

"I'll let the SGC know, and Sandra contact Victor, he's the only off-Alpha team at the moment. He won't be able to dial home until we get back if we do head to P2X-416's orbit."

"Paul, how goes the preparations for SG-10's mission to Mars?" he knew it was postponed with the rescue going on but that was no reason to halt preparations for the mission. While nothing has launched from the grounded Ha'tak in Olympus Mons it doesn't mean someone wasn't down there working to get something spaceworthy again.

"Pacal and Malinali are working on improving the Alphan version of the space suit," which was only one reason why it was orange to differ from the Earth designed ones.

"Hey, I thought I still got to have them help out with developing the Telsa's," Tony protested as he stopped pacing.

"Tony, you know there is such a thing as child labor laws," Helena couldn't help but tease him, "You shouldn't treat them as a resource."

Tony had the grace to look abashed, "You're right Helena. It's just we're so close to developing them."

"Tesla?" Paul wanted to know what that was about, he thought he had the Orbanians working on his trying to design an energy weapon based off the Jaffa Zat'nik'tel.

Helena beat Tony to the answer, "T-S-L-A, which stands for Tranquillizer, Stun, Laser, Atomic."

Tony inclined his head in mock gratitude to Helena, as John added, "Comes close enough to the name Tesla that the teams working on it have adopted it as the nickname for the weapon."

"The initials describe the emissions from each of the four antennae of the gun; tranquillizer, stun, laser, atomic," Tony furthered the explanation, "That is if the theories bear out. The Urrone seem to think it should work and even the Tollan do to."

"You got the Tollan to take a look at it?" Paul asked incredulously, the three Tollans on Alpha seem to hold anything the Tau'ri did with contempt of thinking monkeys might type Shakespeare...or the Tollan equivalent.

"Part of his Italian charm, Paul," Helena teased.

"Anyway, they won't actually tell me how to do it, but they did say I was on the right track," Tony said wishing he could get more out of the Tollans, "In fact about all our alien allies have been saying I'm on the right track, even Kosh."

"Kosh said you were on the right track?" Paul asked disbelieving.

"Well, not precisely that," Tony hedged with Helena coming to the rescue with an explanation.

"He didn't say Tony was on the wrong track, or at least that's what most of us were able to get from the gist of his cryptic saying."

"'The pebble does not roll the wrong way,'" John did a passable imitation of Kosh that had the others in Main Mission smiling.

"Well I guess that's practically an endorsement from him," Paul said dryly then changed the subject, "Should we plan for using Alpha as a platform to rescue SG-1?"

John nodded his smile faded as it was time to get back to why he was called to Main Mission, "Yes, Paul. Develop a plan that we could implement with what we have there. Also take into account that there may be rings down on P2X-416 that we might also use to deploy a team for the rescue."

"Sandra, how long before the Mondoshawan ship arrive?"

Sandra only looked at her screen out of habit, this was a big event for Alpha, and she had it memorized, "Two days, twenty-two hours."

"Victor should be back by then," John mused out loud.

"He'd develop hyperdrive or his own Stargate to make sure of that, John," Helena pointed out and once more there were smiles around Main Mission at the truth of that statement.

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, SG-1 was successfully rescued by the SG teams with the contributions from Alpha and what appeared to be a cancellation of the plans to go to P2X-416 changed from rescue to help getting support to the Bedrosians who wish their nation to know the truth of their origins as well as get word to the other nation on the planet, Optrica that they were right after all."

"I'm still not sure we should be getting involved with this, John," Helena said switching the log off, "It seems to me to be an internal matter."

"You're letting Trek's Prime Directive get to you," John chided, "That's just a TV show, it doesn't work that way in the real world or do you want us to be like the Tollan."

"No, no I know we shouldn't go that far, but...John this sounds like butting in where we have no business."

"I'm inclined to agree initially Helena, but part of why the SGC is out there is to free humans from the Goa'uld. Granted this one left their world long ago, but they're fighting a war because of that Goa'uld. Because they thought this Nefertum was a god," John gently reminded her, and then smiled, "And Washington is interested in acquiring some of their technology, especially weapon technology."

"So we help them and they give us guns?" Helena couldn't keep the cynicism out of her voice light as it was. John shrugged and nodded in silent agreement.

"Come on, let's go to Main Mission. Victor should be back with the delegation from the Confederacy," John prompted to change the subject to one he knew would put a smile on his wife's face. Everyone on Alpha missed their founder and would likely find reasons to cross his path sometime today once he returns.

"Goes to show not every Goa'uld is evil," Helena brighten with the change of subject, more about Victor's return, but that really could be left unsaid.

"Nekhrun certainly has gone a long way to show that and then there are the Tok'ra. I suppose one day we'll find pacifistic Jaffa," John mused as Helena laughed.

"I doubt you'll convince Tolok of that," she quipped as their stroll ended in an elevator taking them up the Main Mission Tower, letting them out on level A with a short walk to Main Mission control itself.

Tolok was there as well as Ytisan and as their comlocks beeped with a specific tone they knew that at least one Re'tu was also present as were the two Urrone both of them flanking Alan and coming to as close as smiles as Helena had ever seen them short of the first Eagle flight.

Often one doesn't need the comlock to confirm the Re'tu's presence, just looking at who appears to be talking to no-one and it was a good indication the Re'tu were around. This time John and Helena spotted the visiting Ambassador Joseph Faxon hands in motion as he faced a direction no-one was in and was quite animated as he talked.

John knew that Yasko would normally be sitting at Data systems station but it seems Sandra used her seniority to be on hand for Victor's return.

Looking past her John spotted one of the human visitors to Moonbase Alpha, Colonel Marshall Sumner, talking with Tony as the other visitor from the United States Marine Corps in Main Mission stood at parade rest behind his Australian relative. If one tried to defend the SGC against a charge of nepotism the Carter family involvement would have it guilty as charged.

Still John couldn't fault the circumstances that had so many Carters, the ones in America and the one in Australia with how they became involved with the SGC through different avenues. Samantha Carter from her assignment to SG-1, Jacob Carter by the Tok'ra curing him of Cancer by his accepting a host, Alan Carter through his association with Victor to help out with Alpha and Vince Carter who was attacked by the Stragoth as he helped hide two from the SGC the aliens were hunting down.

Retired Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Vince Carter was here as Colonel Sumner's aide on a project Victor helped set up between the US Marines and the Confederacy of Free Systems' Weyland-Yudhajit corporation. Nor where they alone as Alpha was hosting a few specialist.

Helena noticed how easily SG-2's Will Robinson talked with the AI programmer Dr. Keith Orbit as they hung out around David Kano's Computer station with him and Alpha's drone designer Freeman Lowell. About the only one who didn't look very relaxed was Global Dynamics head researcher Nathan Stark. She was glad Ben had stopped with the Iron Man jokes behind the man's back. Not that anyone who hadn't read comic books got any of the jokes, but that hadn't stopped Ben once the corporate rep had ringed up to Alpha.

Apparently whatever this joint project was it was going to be conducted down on Earth at Eureka.

She knew her husband was not happy losing David to this project even for a short while, which eclipsed his feelings about Freeman as his Maintenance Drones, or MDs, were now a familiar sight around Alpha both inside and out.

Many viewed the MDs as the Tau'ri answer to the Keeper's DRDs with more than a few Alphans started to call them Doc's or Doctors. It was a nickname that Helena's staff mildly protested, more in the nature of feeling obliged to do so rather than notion they were offended. Some tried MMDs for Moon Maintenance Drones but it hadn't caught on, nor had the alternative M2Ds.

Freeman had a team who could repair the MDs but they were still new enough that she knew John preferred to have Freeman on hand.

"Incoming wormhole," Sandra finally announced and eyes went up to the main viewer where it displayed the Gateroom just down a few steps from Main Mission though currently sealed double doors. Helena felt she must have been distracted by beauty of the event horizon to miss Sandra's announcement of receiving Victor's code.

Most eyes were on Victor as he walked through the event horizon applauds beginning even before the double doors leading from the Gate room to Main Mission parted to let him and his entourage through. John was there to greet both his mentor and visitors with Nathan Stark and Colonel Sumner, leaving the Confederacy soldiers as well as two Jaffa honor guards who came with the party in the Gateroom with Ferretti's and Sumner's people.

Major Louis Ferretti didn't outward mind the addition of the Marines to his Gateroom security team. For one it was temporary and secondly he got along with Second Lieutenant Aiden Ford who led the Marines now with his men.

Lou looked across the room at the Confederacy soldiers, it probably wasn't a great sign that the American soldiers were on one side of the room across from the alien ones.

Spotting Tolok talking to the two bat helmeted Jaffa prodded Lou on to make the first move between the two human military counterparts. Especially as the Jaffa priest was able to get the Jaffa elite soldiers to disengage their mask.

It took Lou back to Abydos and seeing Ra's Jaffa's helmets seem to slide back and into their wide collar and shoulder pieces. Anubis and Horus heads with Ra, Serpents with Apophis and now Bats with this Nekhrun 'good guy' Goa'uld, or gal as Lou corrected himself, this Goa'uld was actually a queen and could get birth to more little snakes.

Which is how she kept the Jaffa with her, though no-one has answered what happens to the symbiotes once they age to maturity. Well that is a mess for the diplomats or diplomatic team of SG-9 to figure out. Right now Lou figured he better take the first steps.

"Major Louis Ferretti," he said to what the briefings helped identify as officer leading this group of soldiers, "This is Second Lieutenant Aiden Ford."

"Jemadar Andre von Pinn," the man introduced himself and held out his hand, "This is the Tau'ri method of greeting, correct?"

That got marine Second Lieutenant to smile finally as he relaxed and held out his hand, "Lieutenant Aiden Ford."

Introductions started in Main Mission as well with Victor introducing the head of the delegation Pasha Tejal, "...and representing Weyland-Yudhajit is Chustaffus Bishop von Weyland."

"Please call me Charles, I think that is what it would be in your culture," Chustaffus said in a quiet manner as he demonstrated that he had mastered the handshake and brought a slight smile to Nathan's face as he realized he was likely meeting an equal, at least corporate wise and from the briefing his equal as a researcher and developer as well. Apparently he and his people designed and produced about all the equipment for the Confederacy military.

John left the two of them talking and noticed Ambassador Faxon was already in a conversation with Pasha Tejal, and thought about interrupting Victor as he tried to explain the reactionless drive the Confederacy developed as that explanation melded with the others to create a din that was cut short by Sandra's sudden, "Priority message from the SGC, General Hammond is calling Moonbase Alpha."

"If everyone will excuse me," John said as he made his way up to the Command Office, the double doors closing as he entered that area. "At my desk Sandra," he said a button push later.

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, the SGC had received a message from former Second Officer Parey on P2X-416. She was able to get a message out that the Goa'uld Nefertum had returned to her world and she has requested aide if possible. The brief trip of a MALP demonstrated that it isn't safe as the Stargate on P2X-416 is guarded. However, it has been decided to try and give aide by using Alpha as a platform and Chandra has agreed to Transverse the moon to the orbit of P2X-416. Our new alliance with the Confederacy of Free Systems is bearing fruit as they will provide assistance with two platoons, or 'Ashva.yuddha.kushalah,' but no ships as they have no way to land them on Alpha. Nor did the Keeper guarantee one in orbit of the moon could be taken along in a Transverse. With all the preparations some on Alpha might feel it almost anti-climatic with the Mondoshawan's arrival."

"You know they don't call them ships," John pointed out after his wife switched the recorder off.

She gave him a look, and then in a deceptively mild tone corrected herself, "They call them Rathas, chariots by any other name."

Inwardly smiling, John knew he was going to pay for that correction later, "We should get to Main Mission, as one of their Rathas will be arriving soon."

"And we don't want to keep Maurice waiting do we?" she quipped almost sensing the automatic reflex of her husband's correcting her with, "General Vidrine." They both paused and he chuckled as the unsaid 'gotcha' was in Helena's eyes.

"Well he is in charge of getting Earth spacecraft," he went on needlessly defending himself, "With the Confederacy showing up with something the equivalent of our Eagles, he wants to take a look for himself."

With arms crossed and legs apart, Lt. General Maurice Vidrine looked out at where Main Mission viewer was focused upon. The Keck was still focused upon Olympus Mons, but that still left other instruments to point up to where they were told the Confederacy would be showing up.

When John and Helena entered Main Mission Maurice pointed up at the viewer almost with accusation in his tone, "I thought SG-X said they didn't have anything like hyperdrive."

Victor who was below hovering over Sandra's station looked up, turned and addressed the General as they were on a first name basis by this time of association, "They don't Maurice, the race we call Shadows will be bringing their ratha."

John couldn't help teasing his wife by silently pointing out Victor using the term, and was rewarded with a light elbow to his ribs. He nearly laughed out loud.

"While they have an impressive reactionless drive, it only serves them for sublight travel," Victor was on lecture mode now, though no-one minded as his lecturing was typically very engaging and informative, "Which works fine for their systems that are close to one another, they live longer lives and all their rathas have a kind of hibernation, so journeys lasting years is not unreasonable for them."

"Now eventually this Nekhrun will install hyperdrives but from what we've pieced together that won't be until they are ready to go on the offensive," John noticed Victor had nearly everyone in Main Mission listening to him, "At this time he does not wish to risk detection from any of the Goa'uld and especially the System Lords."

"SG-X?" Karyel asked as she and the other Tollan walked into Main Mission, clearly puzzled and as John noted, hadn't read the updates sent to them.

"The robotic SG-1's designation," Maurice answered careful to keep his voice neutral with the touchy Tollans, "It's still unofficial, but they will likely get that designation and act as Earth's covert action force."

No one said 'black ops' but more than a few were thinking it, as Washington was likely to think of the robot duplicates as expendable, and the Tollan don't need another reason to call the Tau'ri savages or primates.

"Shadow vessel...decloaking," the Re'tu had told them that wasn't precisely what was going on, but the term stuck as it seemed as if the kilometer wide vessel shimmered into view. Nestled under its central body was a 385 meters long Uchaishravas class ratha.

Floating free from it, they watched as Sandra talked with her opposite number aboard the Confederacy spacecraft, announcing moments later, "They are launching their Pushpaks."

"Dropships," Maurice noted with a certain hunger as Helena gave John a triumphant expression upon her face.

"Direct them to pads one and two," Paul said from his station, John was letting his second run that show as he made his way around the consoles until he and Helena were looking up at the viewer and their backs were to Maurice who watched from the few steps above that lead to the Command office.

Pasha Tejal and Ambassador Faxon watched from the balcony above talking in quiet tones that presumably no-one would hear from below. Ytisan could but the Mondoshawan had no reason to let on, besides he was engaged in his own conversation Greg Sanderson.

The big Scotsman had taken a liken to the Mondoshawan and looked forward to the others who helped out with pads two and three returning soon to expand on Alpha and build launch pads four and five.

"It's just nae right for them to be taken up space our Eagles could use," he said clearly offended despite the demonstration of control and begrudging grace he saw the dropships land on the pads.

"Make room for guest," Greg was use to the grinding sonances of any Mondoshawan speaking, making it sound as if speaking were an effort.

"Yeah, yeah, they just better be worth it," Greg said nearly dismissing Ytisan's words.

"A 'win-win' is it not Ambassador?" Tejal said after the pushpaks had landed and now were being lowered to the 'Eagle's nest,' "You get help and our Ashvakas get experience."

Joseph Faxon had acclimated to fact that when someone from the Confederacy said Ashvakas, it meant their military. "One can only go through so many war game exercises without finding out if they are prepared or not, Pasha."

"Tony you're with me, Paul you have Main Mission," Joseph heard John Koenig order as he left to go greet the Confederacy solders.

Paul looked at the Mondoshawan ship as it approached. Benjamin (never Ben) Ouma didn't swivel the computer station he manned just stared up at the screen along with the rest of Main Mission. It wasn't the biggest ship they'd seen, the Shadow vessel measured two kilometers wide, but that vessel stayed at a distance. Beyond the ratha it released there wasn't a sense of scale as the Mondoshawan gave as it approached.

Alan wasn't sure which description he read from SG-1's encounter with the Mondoshawan ship fit. Yes it resembles a bee, but Alan could also go with the 'aerodynamic pineapple' description. Paul was leaning towards the bee shape as it hovered far above launch pad two, the spaceship's "stinger" portion lowering and swinging into position to mate with the retracted boarding tube.

"Over nine hundred meters long...or high," Benjamin reported after Selene finally gained the man's attention. With David the supercomputer was a person, with Benjamin the supercomputer was just a tool to be used. Selene found the new sensation of missing David Kano unsettling and filed its notice away for another time.

"High?" Sandra made the mistake of repeating more out of awe of seeing so much ship -this- close to Alpha.

"Well unlike what we find most species build their spaceships, under the assumption that space is two dimensional with decks laid out as if they were seagoing vessels, instead the direction of "down" is the same direction that the rocket exhaust is shooting. In other words, their spacecraft is likely along the general internal arrangement of a skyscraper, not that of a passenger airplane," Benjamin intoned as he exercised his favorite hobby horse as if all the other races got it wrong with the designs of vessels they've encountered so far.

This was something Alan couldn't leave alone though Paul tried to catch the Australian with his eyes, Benjamin was not particularly liked so far in his brief stint as Kano's substitute, but they were stuck with him and he didn't think it well advised to needle him.

Not that this lingered in Alan's mind long, "You forget, mate, if your spacecraft is also part aircraft, like the Space Shuttle, in the air 'down' will be perpendicular to the wings."

Giving a wink to Benjamin who didn't expect a rebuttal, much less an informed one, Alan sauntered off to join the greeting party for the Mondoshawan.

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, four hours after Transversing to the orbit of P2X-416. Carefully deployment of Eagles has shown that the nation once known as Optrica is no more. While initially Nefertum's forces did come by Stargate, he also brought a Ha'tak along and devastated the other nation from orbit. Contact with former Second Officer Parey has been established and plans are underway to evacuate some of the surviving Optricans as well as her own people, former soldiers and their families who didn't bow down to the Goa'uld claiming to be their god returned."

"I don't like it," Tony said again, staring at the plan on his laptop. He wasn't alone with the sentiment, nor in the conference table, "These devices haven't been tested under combat conditions."

"Nor will they unless we commit," one of the Re'tu voices came from the communications post, "Home wants to know before more offensives are planned."

"Both the Tok'ra and Re'tu are wary about doing so in any operation that might lead the Goa'uld to either of them," Tolok reiterated for anyone who didn't get the point the first time, "They want to know if such raids can be done in the first place."

"So they will ring down to the Ha'tak from Alpha while von Pinn's men lead a ground assault as a distraction and the Eagles touch down at the designated LZ to pick up the friendlies," Sumner reviewed meeting each eye around the table.

"First target, shield generators," Sumner noted that the Re'tu seem to have a clicking sound to their voices as he listened to them, "Second target primary weapons array. Third target sensor array. Fourth target Nefertum..."

"Absolutely not!" Tony didn't quite explode verbally, but he was out of his seat, eyes shifting in the general direction he knew the Re'tu stood, "Just take care of the sabotage and don't try for Nefertum."

Victor decided to step in with tones as if he were advising rather than opposing Xkes' desires, "Tony's right, Xkes. We should not announce to any surviving Jaffa that the Re'tu have a way to mask a symbiote's ability to sense them. Your people need to keep that tactical advantage as long as possible. Besides," his tone turned from advisory to conciliatory, "with shields, sensors and primary weapon array down, Gxak's attack should destroy, or at least disable the Ha'tak to eliminate it as a threat all together."

"I'll be riding with von Pinn's people as an observer, while Ford will ride with the Eagles and help evac the friendlies out," Sumner stated to finish out his part of this meeting, but in particular establish who is in command on the ground with the Eagles, "Verdeschi's people and yours will follow his orders."

Sumner felt a little odd talking to someone about the age of one of his daughters in such firm tones, but Karyel was clearly the leader of the Tollan delegation and he'd heard the Tollans were trouble to work with.

Not breaking gaze with the 'primative's' eyes she added, "While I will sit up here and man the cannons in case the Ha'tak lifts off as unfortunately we will still be on the far side of the moon facing away from the planet."

"We secure rings on Alpha," Ytisan said and Tony noted he didn't say guard, but secure. When the Mondoshawan informed they could be selective about what comes through the rings, this surprised even Tolok who was trained to repair and maintain the rings as he had no idea one could do such.

Tony thought back to Paul's theory that and if one could say there are warrior races out there, like the Jaffa, the Mondoshawan represent a race of engineers. He was also thinking the old axiom about plans and enemies, but guessed even their alien allies had an equivalent saying. No need to bring it up, nor prolong an already extended meeting. It's just time to do it now.

"... Eagle six has launched," Sandra finished "Pushpaks one and two are now in position to launch from pads one and two respectively." It was slow going as the Pushpaks couldn't be repositioned like an Eagle could along the crane-and-rail system of the Nest. So while the pushpaks took up pads one and two, it left only pad three to launch the Eagles individually.

"Raptor one you are cleared for launch..." foregoing the countdown that marked the first flights of the Re'tu spacecraft.

"Raptor one?" Paul asked in a tone few others could tell was teasing, which brought out a smile on Sandra's face.

"Gxak still cannot decide what 'class' of spacecraft he wants to call his ship," she explained for the others around them though she directed her conversation to Paul, "Raptor is this week's designation."

"Tell me he got rid of that nose art on his ship," Sandra heard Tony grouse more out of anxiety. He felt he should be going with them not stuck down in the Command Center following the various tactical operations.

"I'm afraid Betty Grable still graces what constitutes as the nose of his spacecraft," she kept the giggle silent making Paul smile.

"And still wears a scarf when piloting, though he doesn't understand why early pilots of prop planes did so," Victor said in passing as he slowly paced along the bottom of the steps between Main Mission and the Command office.

"At least his eyestalks prevent him wearing goggles," Tony said with mock relief.

"Oh no, Tony he wears them around his neck as well. Just because he doesn't understand the reasons for them, he's determine to have them as part of his pilot's persona," Victor welcomed even this distraction.

John leaned back in his seat down in the Command Center, looking up at the views Eagle six was sending. Clive was a like a director with several camera views flipping back and forth from them to the one more relevant views. When they get the signal from the Re'tu the two pushpaks and five eagles will dive down to the planet with Eagle five as the AWACS Eagle.

Surveying the Command Center he noted Yasko up at data management, Tony at security station just off to his left and forward and to his right Anna Davis was manned the science station in place of Victor. It was a toss up whether Yasko or Anna might answer any questions concerning Jaffa, Goa'uld or what little had been collected about the Bedrosians.

"Ha'tak shield generators are destroyed, weapons array down, and sensors just went offline," Yasko announced as the reports arrived.

"Eagles one through five, you have a go. Repeat, you have a go. Pushpak one and two you have a go. Raptor one you have a go," they heard Sandra report over the intercom from Main Mission.

"Now we wait," John said as all eyes were now fixed upon the icons on the view screens. The ones representing the vessels from Alpha heading towards the one icon representing P2X-416.

To be continued...

Author's notes; The Weyland-Yudhajit is an adaptation from the Weyland-Yutani of the Aliens series of movies, books and games. Basically I put them and the Colonial Marines in Confederacy of Free Systems that is from an excellent fanfiction Warrior's People by drakensis, a fanfiction from , and used with permission by the author. In that story and Confederation, there is more of a heavy Indian influence. The 'call me Charles' was the way to put Charles Bishop Weyland the CEO in the setting.

While there won't be androids as in Bishop from the Alien series, he will be developing something else later.

Uchaishravas class is the Sulaco, just add reactionless drive that pulls it along.

With the marines I wanted to perhaps hint that Sumner and Ford were acquainted with working with civilians as they would be for the Atlantis mission later. Which is also why Ford is a 2ndLt now and will be a 1stLt by Atlantis. He might be appearing as a member of SG-3 in other stories.

Ashva.yuddha.kushalah means expert cavalrymen; Ratha is the Indo-Iranian term for the spoked-wheel chariot; Uchaishravas is a seven-headed flying horse; Pasha in this context is used for either governors and generals (governors in Tejal's case); Pushpak is an airborne magic chariot.


	15. New Moon, New Hope

New Moon, New hope

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, seven hours after Transversing to the orbit of P2X-416. Commander Koenig is waiting for the five Eagles, two Pushpaks and one Re'tu starship to enter the atmosphere of the planet and the airspace of the Bedrosia nation. Eagle five has an AWACS pod to hopefully cover the four other Eagles during their landing and hopeful rendezvous with former Second Officer Parey to coordinate the evacuation of select Bedrosians whose lives are suspected in danger with the return of the Goa'uld Nefertum who has already devastated the neighboring nation of Optrica. Our Re'tu allies have been successful ringing into the Nefertum's Ha'tak and sabotaging shields, weapons and sensors. It is hope the rest of the operation will go as smoothly as the beginning of it has."

Helena knew she was being optimistic. During her husband's time active duty Air Force, before NASA and the Space Shuttle, she recalled him talking about more than one operation that didn't go according to plan. John Koenig didn't talk much about those times, his goal joining the Air Force was to get to one day be an Astronaut, it was a means to an end, so he pushed aside the unpleasant parts that came with the path he had chosen.

She had to smile, despite their current circumstance, thinking John had gotten his wish and more. They were not only in space, but now in the orbit of another world.

Sitting down at the Medical officer's station in the Command Center she took a moment to look around, first up at the main viewer displaying the eight icons representing their craft heading towards one icon representing the planet designed by the SGC as P2X-416.

To Helena's right at the Data management station is Yasko Nagzumi, behind her Dr. Anna Davis at the Science officer's station and behind Helena stood, and sometimes sat, Tony Verdeschi at the Security officer's station. Behind them all near the main entrance to the Command Center sat her husband, John Koenig. All eyes intent on the screen in front or on individual screens of their workstations.

Over the speakers, the voice of Sandra Benes as she updates the flight status of the craft dispatched from Alpha from her station at Main Mission, where Paul Morrow oversaw the flight portion of the mission. Pacing slowly behind him, Professor Victor Bergman hoped all would be well as eyes both human and alien, very much so with the Re'tu there, watched a similar main viewer in Main Mission.

"Alpha I think we have a problem," the voice of Alibe Parle reported from Eagle five, with its AWACS module in place of the passenger module the other four Eagles had. While its pilot Bill Fraser kept them aloft and high above area the four transport eagles were heading towards, Alibe was in charge of the Airborne Warning and Control System that let this Eagle carry out surveillance, and C2BM (command and control, battle management) functions.

"Death gliders had been launched," and it seemed an eternity in both Main Mission and Command Center before Alibe went on no more than a beat later, "but over an hour ago. They seem to be carrying out strafing attacks in parts of Bedrosia as the majority of them are on a probable search and destroy mission over Optrica."

"What the Ha'tak bombardment didn't get these guys are finishing off," Tony said out loud to the agreement of the listeners.

"I think the ones in Bedrosia airspace are hitting specific targets, not just the search and destroy mission the ones in Optrica airspace are engaged in," Alibe reported.

"That's what it looks like from up here, Alpha," Kelly reported from Eagle six, the Reconnaissance Eagle. Clive Kander directed the photo reconnaissance and sending back the images of Death Gliders making attack runs though far from the landing zone the Transporter Eagles were headed.

John could see the problem Alibe inferred. If the Goa'uld wishes to he could recall those gliders that were already airborne. Eagles weren't a match yet for the gliders, not in an atmosphere and even if they were four against squadrons of them was asking for a massacre.

"Continue on with the operation, do you concur Colonel?" John asked the defacto ground commander Colonel Marshall Sumner.

"Agreed Commander," Marshall and John decided a while ago to use the Moonbase Alpha title address than Air Force rank.

Marshall looked over the screens in the Tactical Operations center the rear of the Ashva, an APC by any other name, and liked how he could see from the viewpoint of any of the soldiers, or suwar as this military calls them. The idea alone was worth taking back to Earth, much less the technology when the talks to share equipment come through.

"Jemadar how are we doing?" he asked as he showed the dropships ready to land and deploy the APCs at the landing zone to secure it for the Eagle landings. The dropships will then provide air support.

"Ready to go Colonel," Jemadar Alberich von Pinn reported.

"Daffadar?" Marshall asked the head of this unit riding with him the rank he used Marshall mentally translated to meaning the equivalent of 'Sergeant.' Daffadar Ngbendu Mobutu looked at the men and women of his unit and nodded, they were ready.

"Daffadar?" Marshall asked the head of the unit Second Lieutenant Aiden Ford rode with and had a mix of US marines along with the alien military force to whom these craft belong to. Marshall mentally translated the rank to meaning the equivalent of 'Sergeant.' Aiden saw Daffadar Ngbendu Mobutu look at the men and women of his unit and nodded, they were ready. "We're ready Colonel," Aiden answered in Mobutu's stead.

From Command Center John watched Eagle Six's view of the Pushpaks landing and the Ashvas driving out from the lowered ramp only a beat after touch down with the dropship rising back up into the air again. If the gliders returned the now deployed weapon pods of the dropships would be the best defense to cover a retreat back to orbit.

John mentally commended Alibe's tracking of the APCs as they rode around the perimeter, deploying soldiers to hold the landing zone until the Eagles had landed, loaded the refugees and launched again. It was about now John wished the proposed 'Ring Eagle' had been completed in time. Install the Ring units in an Eagle module would make evacuation or deployment of a large number of people quick and with only a single Eagle. But better something than nothing and waiting was not an option.

Paul saw the four Eagles approaching their touch down points. He wasn't sure he liked the 'circle the wagons' approach that had been decided upon, but his reservations were moot. This was what had been decided and so he watched as Sandra announced the Eagles have landed.

Second Lieutenant Aiden Ford tried not to look around as he realized he was on an alien world. He was off world and wouldn't be able to tell a soul when he got back to earth. Fortunately he was busy enough deploying the marines to work with the Alphans and get the Bedrosians to the Eagles.

Colonel Sumner didn't feel he had the time to gawk, as much as he might have wanted to. Once he was satisfied both von Pinn and Ford had everyone in place that he made his way over to where Group Captain Alan Carter talked with the leader of this band of Bedrosians, Second Officer Parey.

"So you're saying there is a change of plans?" Marshall overhead as he approached, the Australian didn't sound too happy whatever this meant.

"What change is that?" Marshall asked to both let them acknowledge him and find out just how the plan had changed. He didn't know the names of the other two with them, but they weren't Alphans and they had the bearings he would label as civilians. He didn't like changes, but knew in the field they came as inevitably as a sun rising.

"They know who and where we are," Parey was clearly unhappy about the situation, "We'll have to evac with you."

"You couldn't know Parey," Nyan tried to console the leader of their band, "You were fortunate to get what troops of yours out before the Jaffa took over."

"Why are we even talking about this, we should board and go," a very nervous Mallin said as she looked from person to person and than back around the area as if expecting an attack any moment.

"So we're ferrying soldiers up?" Alan asked and to Aiden this didn't sound good at all.

"The civilians can hide among the population, the soldiers can't," Parey said like a person repeating one's self, "And if the SGC is serious about helping us, they're going to want and need people who can fight."

"So only one load of civilians and what scientist Nyan was able to convince to come," she now directed her attention from her fellow Bedrosians to Alan and Aiden.

"With data files," Nyan supplied as if the Alphans would turn them away if they didn't see the value in them.

"Don't worry, cobber we'll take you in files or files," Alan heard the tone and wanted to establish right here and now that no-one had to -pay- to be saved.

"Colonel Sumner," Marshall heard over his radio, which he supplied with a go, "Jaffa search party will be in our position shortly."

"Time is up people, load civilians first," Marshall raised his voice, to move people along. Mallin didn't hesitate for a moment and practically ran towards an Eagle.

"Ran for the right one too," Alan remarked, "You two as well, in you go." He saw Parey's hesitation, "You can't do anything more by standing around. Go on inside, it'll help the others calm down." Meaning civilians, he didn't think they'd have problems with the soldiers.

Marshall could see Parey's protest on her lips and he turned on the alien officer, "I don't know how you do things here, but our military safe guards the civilian life. Since we are in charge of this operation, we are the ones who says who has priority or not. Ultimately that means me and I'm making the call. Is that understood, Second Officer?"

He hadn't raised his voice once as he just spoke, yet she seemed to come to whatever this military's version of attention.

M4 weapons fire told Marshall that the Jaffa were close enough to engage, a radio message right afterwards seemed superfluous.

"So far the Jaffa are only coming from one direction, but there are two more groups that could be pulled in," John relayed to Marshall, "Gxak is almost in position to start his run on the Ha'tak."

Alan could see the combined forces of US, Confederacy and Bedrosian hold the perimeter as civilians boarded the Eagles. It was the same images and information both Main Mission and the Command Center received from Eagles five and six. It wouldn't be long before he ordered a launch with the frequency of staff blast started to increase, but noted the perimeter held.

That's when the other shoe seems to drop.

"You've got six incoming bogeys," Alibe reported, Eagle six relaying a picture...they're Bedrosian! We've got a transmission..."

"Let Second Officer Parey take it," Sumner said immediately, and John knew he had to make that kind of call now. With the moon at the distance it was, he might have only a second or three delay hearing from them, but it was still a delay.

"This is Third Officer Vata to Tau'ri forces, we request asylum, repeat, we request asylum," Vata said, "We wish to join Second Officer Parey's forces."

"We've got more incoming, a squadron of death gliders, ETA two minutes," Alibe updated everyone, "They're pulling them in from the Bedrosian side of the border, and some are coming from Optrica."

"We dump the civilians and then load up the soldiers," Parey suggested with Mallin shaking her head and going pale, picturing herself as one of the aforementioned civilians left behind.

"It seems I didn't make myself clear on this point, Second Officer, we don't do that," Sumner said before Alan spoke up, "On our world we put on a uniform and protect the populace, the civilians. Sorry to hear it's different here, Second Officer, but in my book. Your soldiers can fight, the civilians left behind will just be killed."

Aiden toured the firing line, seeing his men at different points and pinning down the Jaffa whose numbers were growing a bit large. "Ford here, how long before finished loading?"

"Done!" Alan said before Parey could argue anymore, Mallin looked extremely relieved, and Nyan only mildly so. He didn't want to try and fend for himself, but at the same time he thought it would be best to save as much of the fighting force as possible for later, to retake his world from the Goa'uld.

"Fall back to the Eagles!" Ford ordered the Bedrosians and two by two, they did just that. Two covered, two drew back a few paces, and bit by bit they neared the Eagles. Meanwhile the marines, both Tau'ri and alien, filled in the holes as they could, the APC's turrets providing heavy fire the Jaffa so far couldn't match.

Then a huge explosion at the Ha'tak drew their attention, a moment later, another explosion as an unknown ship, to Jaffa eyes, expelled another plasma bolt into the defenseless Goa'uld mothership.

"Yaaahooo!" the translation of Gxak's yell came over the speakers in Main Mission, Command Center and the Eagles. "Yippie-kai-ya..." was cut off by Tony asking no-one in particular, "Who has been showing this Re'tu these films?"

"Yabba dabba do!" was shouted after the third shot reduced the Ha'tak to smoking ruins. Tony put his head into his hands. John met Helena's eyes and they smiled, though from Tony's reaction or Gxak's antics it was hard for anyone else to say.

"Bulk of the gliders are now headed back to the Ha'tak," Alibe informed everyone, with Paul adding, "Gxak, perhaps you should get out of there."

"But I can provide a distraction!" the Re'tu cheerfully chirped, or the translation had the impression of a chirp.

"Raptor one is headed straight for glider squadron," Alibe reported and updated everyone's screens, Clive up on Eagle six directed one of his cameras to fed views to Alpha, Eagles, Pushpaks and even the Ashvas.

"Tell me you're not going suicide on me mate," Alan muttered to himself as he watched the Re'tu pilot and friend charge at the mass of fighter craft. Only vaguely was he aware of the conversation Sumner had with Parey about how spaceworthy were the Bedrosian shuttles.

"Naaaaw," came the closest translation of Gxak's approximation of a 'nah,' "I'm going to play Turkey with them."

At first Alan looked puzzled, but over the radio Alibe spoke up, "Chicken, I think he means chicken." It was easy to guess that as she watched the two hundred meters of Re'tu ship fly at the multitude of no more then six meter wide of death glider.

Not a single Jaffa knew -what- was flying at them, just it was big, and appeared not to change course and while impacts with it were likely to take it down, it would also take down a swath of Jaffa along with it.

Problem was not many Jaffa were that loyal to their god to volunteer to be them, so Alibe, and as relayed, others watching, the formation broke, going this way and that as Gxak charged at them and suddenly his ship just vanished.

However he wasn't finished yet, slipstreams causing more than one glider to tumble out of control as he made quick pass down the center of the remaining formation.

He made another pass across the reformed gliders, for while they couldn't scan him, the close pass of at his ship's size and speed still caused gliders to tumble out of control.

Then some Jaffa figured it out, and switched to thermal scan, the exhaust of the ship track able as it left the out of phase state.

"Pull up Gxak! Get out of there!" Alibe was the first to notice the change with some of the gliders, how they seem to know approximately where he was, "They've spotted you!"

"Heading up to the wild black yonder!" Gxak sang the last few words, the translator had a few seconds delay as the local software couldn't handle Re'tu singing, it took the supercomputer of Selene on Alpha to translate and transmit back to the listeners in the Bedrosian airspace.

Neither pushpak was lax during this time and while death gliders dodged, the dropships locked firing solutions into formations that were too focused on the Re'tu ship, but not close enough to be bothered by its passage.

"Air-to-Airs ready," the pilot of one of the pushpaks announced for both dropships. Alibe had already fed the targeting information to them, confirming what their own instruments discern. It also meant they didn't have to go with an active scan as long as Eagles five and six fed information to them.

"Plan Skyfire is a go," Sumner said with von Pinn confirming the order to fire. Missiles race from the extended pods of the two pushpaks speeding to targets among the regrouping death gliders. What gliders that had not been tumbling and trying to regain control or going evasive suddenly found themselves either on the receiving end of missiles or trying to find out where they were coming from.

Eagle six intended not to make that an easy perspective. All they would have is tracking back from the probably missile launch points.

Parey was out of the Eagle now, talking with Vata, the Bedrosian shuttles having landed outside the perimeter of the Eagles.

Both Ashvas were using their forward mounted gatlings and turreted plasma cannons that definitely held the line along with the marines from two worlds. This gave Marshal Sumner time to get a picture of what was going on and then relay it up to Alpha.

"So we escort the shuttles up with the Eagles, having the pushpaks cover, John?" Tony asked once they had all the information, "With all the death gliders out there, that's pretty risky."

"Considering the Eagles can go faster than the shuttles," Paul pointed out as he heard the conversation over Main Mission's speakers.

"Earth will want that force field tech of theirs, Group Captain," Marshall reminded Paul, and by extension John, "Six shuttles to study give Area 51 plenty to study."

"Alan, you have a go. Tell Parey you'll stay with them on the way up. How's their life support?"

"It's going to be touch and go John. They're rated to just low orbit. We could boost them to lunar orbit..." Alan left off the obvious of life support problems, mainly because he didn't know the exact specs, but if the Bedrosians thought they could make it.

"They should be the first on the pads, John," Paul suggested, "And they should pick out their best pilots to try and fly into the garage." Meaning that word literally as he referred to the hangar the construction equipment and 'moon tanks' were parked in. Unlike an Eagle the Bedrosian shuttles should fit.

"Alright, I'll fly with my people," Parey announced to Vata's dismay, as well as Alana and a few back on Alpha.

"Parey, you should fly up on one of the Eagles. You have to survive," John said which was tantamount to being an order. At least as far as Alan was concerned, and Marshall agreed with it.

"But, I..." she began and before Vata replied, Marshall did, "No buts, no discussion. If I have to get my men to load you on an Eagle that is what will happen." A sense of dignity, and perhaps she hadn't seen his expression change once since she met him, had her turn and silently stalk up into Eagle one.

Alan nodded once at Marshall, Vata gestured in a way the marine Colonel interpreted as a salute. "Ford," he said into his radio, "Start pulling everyone back to the APCs, von Pinn have the pushpaks lay down covering fire." Both men acknowledged the order and soon the roar of unguided rockets flew into the mass of Jaffa that the marines on the ground had been holding.

When the rockets roar ended, there were not any Jaffa standing as the dust settled. Troops loaded back up on the Ashvas, the Ashvas were picked up by their pushpaks, and as one the Eagles launched with the Bedrosian shuttles following suit.

While the ground offensive was an uncontested victory, the fight in the air was far from over.

The Eagles could beat them to orbit, the shuttles couldn't. "Take the Pushpaks and go," Alan said wishing he had that fleet of Eagles now instead of months from now.

He didn't want to leave them, John knew that, and both knew the Eagles held the civilian refugees, the shuttles the military. The latter would have to take their chances, but John wasn't going to force Alan to make that call. "Eagles two, three, four, boost and six clear as fast as you can. Eagle six cover the Bedrosians, Alan bring them home."

"Thanks John," Alan figured his friend and Commander was giving him the option to stay with the Bedrosians. He guessed Parey in the back preferred that, but didn't make an announcement since it was unlikely Mallin would.

They were still in the atmosphere when the gliders started firing and Mallin was the first to start screaming. Alibe was trying everything she knew and a few things by pure inspiration. She wasn't thinking this was in the skies of an alien world, with alien aircraft and spacecraft that didn't match anything her training taught her. If you encounter A you do B, if you see X you pull a Y.

She didn't know she was about to start the book on ECM warfare with the Goa'uld.

For a while what she was doing worked, and for three of the Bedrosian shuttles it worked all the way to Alpha. The first shuttle to go was just out of the atmosphere, the second mid-way to Alpha.

"Death gliders...Jaffa..." Karyel said up in Main Mission and readied the cannons. This was a first for everyone around her, and some down in the Command Center. Up until this moment she was reluctant to even ready the cannons unless there was a clear and present threat. Nor did Tolok's presence ever seem to bring this reaction out of her.

They couldn't see her running through the streets of her city as death gliders strafed months ago. They didn't see her parents die during the attack before SG-1 saved the day for others. They weren't in on the therapy sessions where it was deemed perhaps she wasn't fit for Tollan society for a while and maybe seeing 'savages' would show her violence was not a healthy response.

"Come on...come on..." Paul heard her mutter and exchanged a look with Sandra. Down below in the Command Center, John and Helena also shared a similar look, before looking to Tony who shook his head not knowing any more than they did.

A single Tollan ion cannon can take out a Ha'tak, two were an overkill on the ones racing after the Eagles and Bedrosian shuttles. Once they came around to the dark side of the moon not a single glider made it close enough to Tsiolkovskiy crater to be a threat.

Not that anyone knew -that- was going to happen. MacKendrick had his tanks out ready to defend the base once it was seen the gliders continuing the pursuit from the planet. Tony had raised the rail guns up into position, no-one expected Karyel to actually fire on command, much less prematurely.

Neither John, nor Tony countermanded her when she did begin to fire. Some might have thought it was shock, instead of both of them realizing there was more to this than they knew at the moment and they were going to have a talk with her afterwards.

Patir and Greku didn't know what to do, neither had been properly briefed about her. They were just to be her body guards and to safeguard the cannons. They felt utterly helpless once she started to fire and more so once she stopped and began to cry.

Victor didn't and again the fact she saw him as a father figure was likely once he moved to her she leapt up from her seat and practically threw herself in his arms.

"Alpha...were those the Tollan cannons?" Alan felt he had to say now he was through being stunned the last leg of his flight was covered.

"We'll brief you later, Eagle one, maintain your flight plan," Paul said knowing now was not the time to talk about this.

"Raptor one has landed. Pushpak one and two have landed. Eagle four has landed and pad on decent. Bedrosian shuttles designated now, one, two and three on approach to tank garage."

One-by-one the rest of the Eagles landed on the only other free pad to be lowered down and moved to the mammoth hangar complexes directly beneath the three completed launch pads before the free pad rose again for use by the next waiting Eagle. Sandra's tone was calm and collected despite the loud sobbing Karyel though she was down to quiet sniffles when the last Eagle was ready to touch down.

"Tony meet the refugees at the garage, Yasko you have Command Center. Follow Paul's lead, just hold down the fort here," John uttered his orders as he rose up to head out of the back to catch a travel tube. He wanted to be part of the welcoming committee for the passengers on Eagle one. Helena followed him out but headed for Medical, the refugees might need treatment, and SGC procedures meant examinations regardless of if they were injured or not.

They only stopped briefly outside of the Command Center, brushing cheeks then were on their separate ways. John wondering just what was going to happen to the refugees from Bedrosia, how the SGC was going to take the news about Nefertum though he might actually be dead if Gxak's attack caught him in the Ha'tak there. Then there was the fate of Optrica, who probably never saw the Goa'uld attack coming.

Helena was organizing in her mind which Doctors were going to examine how many refugees and in where they should be staged and sent to afterwards. Life support wasn't a problem, and she spared a small smile thinking of how nonchalant that concern was like out of some science fiction television show. Here she was organizing like a MASH unit or field clinic and not thinking about the fact she was doing all of this on the moon of all places.

It was still going to take awhile for the romance of that notion to wear off, and in truth Helena hoped it would be a very long time. She didn't want to become jaded to the fact that unlike a year ago all of this seemed to be just some Hollywood fantasy and now she and John were living it for real.

Victor knew Karyel didn't need an audience and slowly guided her up the shallow steps to John's Command office. He didn't think John would mind, and fortunately it accepted his comlock to open up and let them in.

He figured she just needed to let go for a bit and not be the high and mighty Tollan, to just be a girl who had suffered a loss and hadn't been able to grieve. A girl hanging on by a thread and needed time to collect herself. Time Victor intended to give first sitting her down on a sofa and then finding where John kept tea and fixing a cup of it for her.

"We didn't really see it coming," she began after a sip, not looking at anything in particular, "I was walking ahead of na'and taat when we heard a sound up in the sky, heard explosions and before I knew it one of those explosions was behind me, sent me flying..." Victor knew she was seeing it all over again, and said nothing. She needed to talk and he was just going to listen.

John found Marshall talking with Paryel with von Pinn and Ford off to the side directing their people to various places in the huge chamber Alphans call the garage. It was a pretty full place with the construction vehicles, tanks and now Bedrosian shuttles. He caught sight of Helena leading her team in to check up on the refugees that Alpha now had taken on.

"Second Officer Paryel, may I introduce Commander John Koenig, head of Moonbase Alpha," Marshall said in that quiet wheeze of a voice he used, "Commander, Second Officer Paryel, formerly of the Bedrosian military."

"Welcome to Alpha, I wish this was under better circumstances," John greeted and looked around, then back at Paryel, "Let's let you and your people get settled and then meet and talk about where we are going to go from here."

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, the Bedrosian are settling in and checked out healthy on Alpha. So far in the few hours they have been on Alpha there have been no further attacks sent up by the Goa'uld. There is a hope that the Re'tu assault on the Ha'tak had eliminated the threat posed by Nefertum. If so the Bedrosians may be sent back to their world to help rebuild and see if there are survivors among the devastated rival nation of Optrica."

Helena saw her husband rubbing his temples oblivious to the fact she finished recording or apparently anything else going on around him. "John are you alright?" was a question she asked even as she knew the answer was no.

"Just a lot going on Helena," he rose and placed his hands on her shoulders, so glad she was here with him in this very unusual set of circumstances.

She quirked a smile, "Just visitors from Earth, visitors from an allied alien nation, and refugees from yet another off-world civilization. Not much at all."

It had the right effect, she saw a smile spread across his lips, "How about on your end, I understand the Re'tu want to send one of their doctors to study human medicine?"

Whatever her reply was about to be it was interrupted by a signal from his comlock. "Koenig," he said out of habit, technically it could have been either of them.

"John, I think you better get up here. We're getting a signal from Optrica," Tony said meaning he must have some how convinced Paul to take that long overdue down time.

"On my way, Tony," John said replacing the comlock on his belt, took his wife's hand and gave a squeeze before turning to head out of her office. He wanted to leave on a positive note, so he threw back a quip, "An invisible doctor, eh? Think of all the jokes you could pull on patience."

He left her with a smile on her face instead of the concern he saw earlier. It likely wouldn't last past the door closing behind him, but it was important that he try.

"Are they still transmitting Tony?" John asked as he entered Main Mission, to which the tired Italian security chief nodded to Yasko who looked up.

"Yes, Commander Koenig. They acknowledged we needed to send for you and waited."

Apparently not just for John or somehow Marshall, Paryel and von Pinn had also found out or had reason to show up. A beep from his comlock let him know that at least one Re'tu was in Main Mission.

"How did they survive?" John asked Tony, he did have time to have some kind of conversation while he was en route from Medical Center.

"Apparently they have something like your NORAD, John" Tony shared confirming that imagined conversation, "They're buried deep in a mountain side and the Goa'uld didn't know where they were. Their country took a pounding though."

"Commander Koenig has arrived, Premier Zuulu," Yasko spoke up and the speakers came to life.

"Greetings from Optrica, Commander Koenig. As you no doubt know, I am Premier Zuulu of Optrica. I am told you haven't always been up on our moon. How long will you remain and could you help us further? We are grateful for vanquishing the Goa'uld and reducing his forces enough that our forces were able to finish them or soon will."

"Stand by Premier," John said and signaled Yasko to mute the call, "Wake up Paul and everyone else. I'll need to know what we have and can send. Get Alan here to see about Eagle transportation." He looked over at the Jemadar, "Von Pinn, can I ask for use of your Pushpaks for escort?"

Alberich had already been thinking just about that, "We'll need resupply but that's a Stargate trip away."

"We'll have to get supplies from the SGC anyway..." John was already nodding, "Yasko, put him back on."

"Premier Zuulu, we believe we may just be able to help out with food and medical supplies, help search for survivors."

"Thank you Moonbase Alpha, you've given us hope, new hope for our future out of the ashes of our past."

Author's notes: na'and taat are Mayan for mother and father. While non-canonical, I'm going with the fanon source that the Tollan were descended from Mayans.


	16. In the SHADO of the Moon

In the SHADO of the Moon

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, six weeks after relief operations to the nations of P2X-416 with some of them remaining on Alpha with view towards furthering an alliance between our worlds. The Mondoshawan have been a tremendous help with construction on Alpha and it is gradually becoming the base Professor Bergman hoped it would be. What compromises that have come have been considered an acceptable considering the universe beyond really is hostile and not the hopeful peace filled one the founder of Alpha had dreamed it would be. Alliances with off-world powers has borne fruit of said allies contributing to Alpha, such as the Mondoshawan with construction, the Re'tu and Tollan with base security and now the Confederacy of Free Systems and survivors from Bedrosia with military contributions. Though some from Bedrosia are able to help with scientific work."

"Yes, Alpha finally gets an archaeologist," John spoke up when Helena paused thinking about how to phrase the next part of her report.

"You have to admit John, it's not as if we had an official need of one," she pointed out, "We have Nyan out of gratitude for helping his world."

"And with the moon able to travel to other solar systems or even galaxies, an archaeologist is nice to have on hand," Victor said walking into medical.

Helena didn't miss a beat adding in a light tone, "Which means he gets to see quite a bit of the universe beyond his world."

"Anything wrong Victor?" John asked as this was not his typical place to go to unless something was wrong.

"Oh just wondering John, thinking about where we've been, where we're going," Victor mused as he found a seat at this now impromptu gathering, "The opening of the Interceptor moonbase is more a blessing in disguise than I originally thought."

"How so?" John didn't think Victor thought much about that moonbase, other than it was small and more strictly military, unofficially consider 'Moonbase Beta,' but in reality is just an outpost of Alpha's and under John's command.

"Well as you know the scientific community has wanted to place a telescope on the far side here, and we have Keck III on Alpha, but with Beta going online it shows a willingness to expand further, maybe even to Daedalus crater, located near the center of the far side. I realize Earth security comes first, and I'm all for that, but a base for a telescope would be an even bigger boon than Keck III provides."

"And since this is the first of six planned outpost, there should be room for one side trip for a telescope?" John completed the thought he knew Victor had and was currently nodding to.

"We now have SID up at the L2 Langrange point...I know not a dedicated radio telescope, but with the sensor package installed the warning system is a pretty good scientific platform," Victor was happy that he was able to argue enough for that concession." All three knew that the computerized tracking satellite, Space Intruder Detector, was not originally going to be used for scientific purposes. Amazing what some clout and incentive from contributions provided by the IASA would do.

"John?" Paul's voice came from his comlock, one that was shortly in John's hand a moment later, "Go on Paul."

"Alan reports ready to ferry the personnel to Beta," Helena noted even Paul thought of the outpost under that designation.

Slowly John rose, "I should see them off, if only to let Helena finish her status report." He smiled and gave his wife a wink.

"In that case, John, let me join you."

Together John and Victor left heading towards Reception where the men and women of the outpost were waiting along with General Vidrine. Alan was there talking with the pilots who clearly admired the man who helped designed their spacecraft. The X-306 program, like the X-305, beat out the X-301 still being worked on back at Area 51.

"I suppose you won't reconsider Carter?" Maurice didn't think Alan would be had to try, the man had made sure two programs were off the drawing board, and in production already with a third one in progress, if there was the slightest chance he wanted to take it.

"And miss being out there, General, nah I'm not your man. Alpha is where I want to be," John heard Alan reply as he and Victor walked up.

"Trying to poach my people, General?" John joked feeling by now he could with the General who saw more of Alpha than the one whom the moonbase falls under his command. Not that John could fault General Hammond unable to be free to visit. The man was busy with running the entire SGC, the outgoing teams and now this moonbase to say nothing of the off-world sites being considered.

"Good people are hard to find, Colonel," Maurice tended towards the Air Force rank than astronaut position of Commander, "And unlike certain Senators I have no problems where ever I can find them." Which John knew as the closest the General was going to get to criticizing one Senator Kinsley.

Alan noticed one of the pilots looking down the corridor, "What do you expect to see, mate?"

"The RAF birds," heard Second Lieutenant Steve Phillips answer as he kept looking down the corridor, "Alpha's British Invasion...oh, sorry sir."

"Not my country mate," Alan brushed off the remark, "And you can't really blame the RAF for putting them up here. As I understand it, Torchwood leaked it to their government since the SGC locked them out of any say. Me...I say it was a slight against the Professor. Director whats-her-name..."

"Yvonne Hartman..." Victor said entering in the conversation, "and it appears Alpha gossip lines are as clear as ever. Yes, Yvonne and I don't see eye to eye on many things and instead of keeping this quiet, she let the current government know just enough to force disclosure talks with the Americans."

Maurice had a sour look and mere Second Lieutenants now wished he hadn't drawn a General's attention, "Forced disclosure with the United Kingdom about the Stargate, with an agreement to keep it quiet."

"Yes, well nothing that can be proven, so Yvonne appears to be keeping her end of our bargain," Victor clearly wanted to move on from this subject but felt it had to be cleared.

"So Alpha gets a few from the RAF, and in fairness they did help fund the outpost and Interceptor design and construction through UNIT," John pointed out the convoluted pathway that brought the additions to Alpha to the moon.

"And the United States Air Force providing the pilots for the Interceptors since we are providing their armaments," Steve threw in to try for a save from his earlier remarks.

"With the new Mark VI Tactical missiles they will have we have a chance in case that Ha'tak on Mars does lift off," Maurice said happier with the armaments than the deliver system of the X-306 program.

"Our one-shot wonders," came a feminine voice from around a corner. She saluted, "Flight Lieutenant Gae Ellis." She was flanked by two other women, both in Alphan uniforms with purple sleeves.

"You don't have to salute here on Alpha," Victor reminded them, and noticed Maurice's eyebrows shoot up, "Save when you're in your own nation's uniform."

"Well, Flight Lieutenant Gae Ellis, the Interceptors do only have one shot, but it's a big one and right now, it's better than nothing," Alan pointed out, more to get the girl's attention than any real intent to defend or inform them.

"Yes, we heard that Alpha was depended solely on the Tollans for defense," a woman one could only tell a mixed parentage, not that she had a Ghanaian father and an Irish mother, she didn't snap a salute as she held out her hand to introduce herself, "Flying Officer Nina Barry."

"Joan Harrington," the third woman said to the raised eyebrows of the other two, and Alan had to bite at this bait dangled before him. Joan didn't seem to shy type.

"What no, rank and serial number?" he asked with a smile on his lips and in his voice.

"Well, we -are- now on Alpha. Alpha rules and all, but if you have to know, back home in uniform I'm Flying Officer Joan Harrington."

"While the 306s have only a single shot, they have two other traits that make them very appealing," one pilot interjected into the conversation smoothly enough, both introducing himself and taking a moment to toss in a light hearted comment, "First Lieutenant Mark Bradley. Technically not Alpha so ranks and rules apply."

Joan took the bait, feeling it was fair, the Australian had taken hers, plus she could see her friend Nina was eyeing the Caribbean-born USAF pilot, might has well test fly him a bit for her, "And what is that Flight Lieutenant Mark Bradley?"

Mark twitched a smile as he heard the lightness in her voice, "We can get them now, not in some 'when they're developed future' and we could make a lot of them."

"You mean -we- can make a lot of them, right cobber," Alan pointed out as Moonbase Alpha would be the one producing the Interceptors along with Eagle production and the ongoing construction work up at the L2 point.

"All part of the same team Alan," Victor said in a mild tone that said the conversation was ended.

"Shouldn't you get going to your new post?" General Vidrine, and in the tone of General, not Maurice, prompted everyone, sending pilots to the travel tube with Steve lingering long enough to say, "Looking forward to hearing your voices up there."

"General, Commander, Professor," Gae said in succession seeking a dismissal that Maurice gave with a nod. The three new Alphans headed back the way they came regretting not arriving earlier to get a better feel of the pilots they would be talking to over the radio.

"So Maurice I don't think you came all the way up here for the official opening of the Interceptor base," Victor didn't mention any of the unofficial names like Beta as they walked towards Main Mission.

"Well I was only half joking about having someone like Carter on my team," Maurice began as they walked, "IASA has quite the designer and project manager in Cater here. The 305s in mass production, and I understand the X-310 is may be completed before the year is out."

"The IASA is looking forward to having a manned spacecraft to use instead of relying on Eagles," Victor said with dryly, the fact they have any space capable assets should have been enough, but now that the year before impossibilities have become possible, those in the know what to go for as much as they can. When the Stargate goes public they want to say they accomplished a lot for mankind.

Victor just thought they were covering the collective tails now that Yvonne has trapped them into being connected to the Stargate. They can't refute knowledge of it and want to have gifts to bribe the international community.

"It's being built along with and at Space dock," John added to the conversation, "It's going to be called Babylon station isn't that right, General?"

Maurice shrugged, "If it stays under George's purview. It won't be under mine as it isn't a mobile space asset. I know Washington would feel better having something more permanent up in space than Alpha for the times the base goes on what is it called, Transplanting?"

"Transverse," John corrected knowing his superior would prefer the correction than any kind of coddling or sycophantic responses, "or Transversing I suppose in context."

"Thank you John, Tranversing. After using it as a base of operations in the Bedrosian operation we can't very well ask that they don't transverse on their own. So we want a permanent presence up here blocked from view by whatever moon takes this one's place." Maurice paused to think of how outlandish that statement sounds, how he would have laughed at it if someone said it to him a couple of years ago.

Now the impossible really does sound possible.

"The Babylon station should also act as a kind of way station for anything friendly coming through the Supergate out in the Belt and if we get the 301s worked out as well as the 305s have been we should have an armed force if unfriendly."

"However funding is being stretched a bit thin, particularly with the consideration of establishing other sites off world," Victor kept his voice a dry drawl, not wishing to sound hopeful, "So it might be primarily IASA funded."

"I understand quite a few of your countrymen would be involved," Maurice fished for more information than what was given him.

"Yes, several old friends of mine, one Professor Bernard Quatermass will funnel funding to the IASA for the Space Dock through his British Experimental Rocket Group that he heads up and Harriet Jones will handle the funding from the government to that group...IF," and Victor paused for politeness, "Washington finds it cannot fun their Babylon project. In which case, Bernard and Harriet will step up to the plate as I believe the saying goes. Makes sure Space Dock gets completed."

"It wouldn't be all bad General if it goes that way," John thought he should soften the perceive blow, "Professor Quatermass and his group had a lot of input on both the 305 and 306 designs as well as the Space Dock itself and the upcoming X-310."

"Well then maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing after all," Maurice seemed in better spirits as they left the elevator and headed towards Main Mission. "We can always move the Babylon project to the Belt as a platform closer to the Supergate. Better to meet and greet any incoming aliens out there then this close to home."

"General, Commander, Professor," came a feminine but distinctly authoritative voice as they entered Main Mission. John turned his attention to the other high level VIP visiting Alpha right now, Brigadier Winifred Bambera. She didn't know Alan well, perhaps at best a note on how he helped developed UNIT's Interceptors with USAF support. A bit convoluted, but she seemed like the bottom line kind of woman. As long as it gets down, that's all that matters.

John knew her addressing Victor was strictly in keeping with their mutual acquaintance and her predecessor, Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. The retired key man of the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce had called on Victor quite a lot after his head science advisor apparently moved on and only rarely came back.

"We were wondering if you would get here in time to see the pilots off," a cultured voice said from the balcony above. John inwardly winced as he heard the voice of the one VIP he didn't want to think about who was also visiting Alpha today. Commissioner Simmonds of the International Aeronautics and Space Administration had recently been cleared to know about Alpha and the various projects the IASA expects its contributions to be put towards rather than the upkeep of what many of them are saying is a military base.

Looking up at the bearded man, he wondered how much he could get away with saying. Certainly the lions share of the funding came from the USAF now, but IASA still allowed for things like the Eagles, and what will hopefully be deep space spacecraft as well as the Space dock up at L2. SID fell under UNIT and its contribution beside moonbase Beta.

John did not envy General James L. Henderson back in Washington who has to keep track of who was financing what concerning the dark side of the moon. It was agreed to filter the foreign investments to Alpha through the US UNIT contingent with Colonel Ed Straker acting as liaison. That on top of his duties of heading any cover up stories like the explosion of the two Ha'taks in Earth orbit last year.

The only reason John would smile thinking back to that event, however inward he kept said smile, was that SG-1's taking out of the Goa'uld motherships didn't just save the Earth, but started John on the path to being involved with the Stargate program and ultimately the Commander of Alpha.

Having commanded the Space Shuttle mission that rescued SG-1 from orbit, he and the other three astronauts of whom would become SG-10, wanted to know just what was going on and that lead them all to the Stargate program. After finding out about the Stargate, how could they go back to flying Shuttle missions?

"I thought I would see them off personally, Commissioner," John went with civil reply and saw just beyond Simmonds a grateful Ambassador Faxon. Joseph hoped John wouldn't antagonize the self-important representative of the IASA.

"Eagle one is ready to launch," Sandra said into the pause unnoticed by the Generals who were talking to each other and not interfering in the operation of Alpha.

Eyes moved to the main viewer as a sight many in Main Mission had seen but not yet grown tired off, an Eagle taking off from its pad.

"I understand Alan's team is working on a regular transport between here and Beta," Maurice fished since such a vehicle wouldn't fall under his purview or need to know.

"Moonmobiles is the unofficial designation," Winifred threw out casually not looking at Maurice yet having a glint of teasing the Air Force General in her eyes, "I believe four are in the planning to handle regular traffic between the installations on the moon."

"This is Space Intruder Detector, Red Alert. I have incoming Al'kesh from Olympus Mons."

"Confirmed," Yasko said as her fingers flew over her keyboard.

"Get Alan, tell him to get those pilots to their Interceptors, yesterday," John ordered turning to Yasko and then back up to the main viewer, "Put the Al'kesh up on the main view." He noted Tony had already left no doubt heading down to the Command Center.

"Put the base on Red Alert, and two Eagles on the pad to retrieve the Mondoshawan work parties," John knew the lumbering aliens would never make it to cover in time at the rate they walked, "Get me Beta. If Virginia had to have heard SID but with not an ETA for her pilots."

"Lake here," came over the speakers as Yasko relayed the call from the commander of Beta, Colonel Virginia Lake, "I see it coming Commander and understand my pilots are en route. My people are going through final checks on the Interceptors and will be ready to launch when the pilots get here."

The trick, Alan thought as Eagle one rapidly approached the pad at Beta, was to not to go as fast as he could, but fast enough to be able decelerate soon enough to land in one piece. Sure he could get the Eagle and its passengers to that outpost quicker than he currently flew, but a crashed Eagle would do no-one any good.

Landing never seems to take as long as it did now, but soon the boarding tube was attached and the pilots dashing out into the outpost. Alan knew getting the Eagle back up wouldn't do any good. Current armaments could take down an Udajeet, what the yanks call a Death Glider, but not an Al'kesh. At least Alan wasn't confident enough to try.

Lew slid down into his craft, knowing Mark and Steve were doing the same in the other two Interceptors. A quick preflight was better than no preflight and fortunately they didn't have to worry about just jump in and go. SID had detected the Al'kesh as soon as the light of that ship reached the supercomputer driven satellite's sensors.

They had time to do this right. He just wished they had enough experience flying the 306s to take out an Al'kesh. If it made it to Earth it couldn't devastate the planet, and just about any competent Air Force could take it out, but it could do a lot of damage before then, to say nothing of forcing disclosure.

"Missile batteries are up and in position, tanks are out and..." Tony prompted the Tollan whom they all hoped would hold together.

"Ion cannons are raised and ready," Karyel said without any of her remarks or tones protesting or looking down on the decision to be aggressive. No-one knew what she had said to Victor weeks ago when the moon orbited P2X-416, just that she seemed less inclined to sneer as the other two Tollans did.

If the Al'kesh did get past the Interceptors, and headed their way, it wouldn't survive to worry about continuing attacks to Earth.

Despite how tense he felt, John also felt confident. Unlike two years ago Earth had a defense in space. Given enough time and it would grow. A single Ha'tak was still a threat to worry about, but not one where it would be a threat indefinitely.

"Gxak is ready to launch and currently on standby," Yasko announced that relieved some of the tension John had. It even reminded him with the allies they were getting right now they had a chance against a Ha'tak. It still wasn't certain what a Re'tu ship would do against a shielded Ha'tak but after P2X-416 they knew it could take on an unshielded one.

"Moonbase to Interceptors," John listened to the voice of Gae over the speakers in Main Mission, "Stand by to set missile control computer."

"Selene and SID are linked and coordinated, feeding information to the Interceptors," David Kano reported relieving more tension from John. He was glad to have Kano back from Eureka. Apparently some big projects came up from the technical summit between Global Dynamics and Weyland-Yudhajit, it was a coup for the Stargate program, but to many on Alpha having to put up with Kano's substitute, Benjamin Ouma, it was nearly not worth it.

"Missile program complete ..." Lew's voice carried over the speakers of Main Mission, Command Center and Control Sphere of the outpost, "Acknowledge one and two ..."

"Roger one," Mark chimed in, followed by Steve, "Roger two."

"Missile firing 20 decimal four seconds on third pip," Lew announced and everyone heard a series of three electronic beeps.

"It looks damaged, John..." Victor mentioned as he stared at one view from the Keck III telescope over Yasko's shoulder, "This is probably why it didn't chase after us during our mission to Mars. It couldn't, but since then it has been repaired. This suggests that we aren't dealing with automated defenses on that downed Ha'tak."

"Right, someone had to have repaired that Al'kesh for it to fly. Gae hold missile launch," he turned towards the one Jaffa now in Main Mission, "Tolok do the Goa'uld use any kind of automated repair."

"No," the Jaffa priest replied, "If they did they would not have taught some of us to do so."

John knew that made sense from a Goa'uld's warped point of view. The more they could get away with appearing as gods the better and it was a risk teaching Jaffa technological principles even if said Goa'uld kept calling it magic.

"We might be able to disable and capture it," Maurice suggested thinking of the mandate Washington had for him to develop spacecraft for Earth out of alien technologies.

"Possible, but Alpha doesn't really have the weaponry to disable unless we let them in get close," Winifred pointed out, "Perhaps a bracketed explosion? Tolok does an Al'kesh have shields?"

"I see where you're going, Brigadier," it didn't surprise John at all that Victor took only a few scraps of information and now was yards ahead, "An EMP might work."

"E...M...P..." Tolok considered and then nodded his head, "From what Victor and I have talked about science and your technologies, I think it should work."

"Kano, upload a new targeting solution," John ordered sending David Kano's fingers flying across his console. With the Tollan cannons ready, Alpha wasn't in any danger, he could afford to take a chance with this, besides only two missiles were required. Even without the Tollan back-up the remaining missile would be more than enough to take out an Al'kesh.

"New missile program complete," Lew announced, "Acknowledge one and two ..."

"Roger one," again Mark chimed in, followed by Steve, "Roger two."

Once more a four second launch countdown was engaged this time nothing stopping as Interceptors two and three launched their payloads and broke formation. Lew flipped his Interceptor end over end to decelerate instead of breaking off. If this didn't work he'd flip his craft again and start accelerating towards the enemy once more.

Everyone saw the double flash as the Mark VIs detonated. It made SID's announcement superfluous, "Detonation confirmed."

"Al'kesh on unpowered flight, no change in vector, no power reading," SID reported a moment later.

John was already on it, "Alan, get a couple of Eagles up there, latch on and bring that Al'kesh down. Tony, get MacKendrick and his tanks over to launch pad two. Our pad can accommodate the ship. Kano get a few Docs over there."

"Moon Drones, or MDs," Maurice answered the question written on Winifred

"Hence the nickname Doc," she filled in for herself, "You yanks have an interesting naming convention."

"Commander let me and my eldest sons come with Tony's Security detail," Tolok asked and John saw Tony ready to back him out even before the Italian spoke up.

"I had been ready to ask to include them in security at the next meeting, John. It might make whatever is in there hesitate to see a few Jaffa," Tony suggested and John nodded, "We're on our way then. Tolok have them meet us at the terminal there."

"Xat and Xzuk?" John asked as Tony headed out of Main Mission and heard his head of Security shout back, "Already on it John!"

With the masking technology the Tok'ra developed the supposed Jaffa on that Al'kesh or even Goa'uld won't sense the invisible Re'tu scouting ahead.

"...confirmed, escort the Eagles and Al'kesh Interceptor one, two and three return to base," John heard Gae over the speakers. John wondered about the wisdom of having control here on Alpha when those pilots operated out of Beta.

However, all of this is new. Some things can only be learned by trial and error.

While Tony had been through the Gate several times since Alpha began, most of his experience with Jaffa had been with Tolok and his family. Unlike Louis Ferretti who was backing him up, it didn't seem strange to have four elite Jaffa along with their father with him.

Since they had been training to serve Heru-ur theirs were the birdlike head resembling the Egyptian god Horus. Tony imagined this could also backfire on them if this was a rival Goa'uld or their Jaffa. For a moment as everyone formed up around the boarding tube's entrance he wished he had several masks to use here for confusion sake. Maybe something he'd ask John or Tolok at the next meeting.

Parey met him at the travel tube with four of her people. The Bedrosian weapons were a welcome option as they could stun as well as kill. Like the gun Tony still worked on to develop an Earth analogy to the Zat guns.

He had time to review the hastily assembled plan of his as the waddling MDs worked on the boarding tube's seal to mate it properly with the Al'kesh's lock. Briefly wishing he had an MD in here to act as a kind of MALP he dismissed that as it would be a case of waiting too long to get one of those over here.

Xat and Xzuk would go in first, Tolok's sons next followed by Lou's people, and Tony still thought of them as separate instead of his people. Perhaps it was the uniform, they didn't wear the Alpha uniform but the BDUs of American Air Force.

"Let us go in first, Verdeschi," Tony heard with a bit of surprise the voice of the Tollan Patir say coming from the Travel tube.

"Be my guest," Tony stepped aside and imagined the Re'tu did as well. He didn't know why Patir, and Greku were being cooperative but he wasn't going to turn down help that could walk through walls.

One more time he plucked the comlock from his belt, "MacKendrick?"

"Still in place lad," Cyril said with all the calm one could expect from a retired member of the Coldstream Guards 7th Cavalry.

Tony knew it was nerves that he even called and it seemed Cyril did too. The waiting was getting to him, and there had to be a wait. From reading the Eagles to latch onto the Al'kesh to the actual matching speed and doing so, decelerating, guiding it down...then detaching. That gave the tanks plenty of time to get in position.

Finally everything was ready and Tony heard over his comlock from Kano, "MDs finished mating the locks together for a firm seal. They do confirm an atmosphere inside. They'll remain in position for any spot work as needed."

"Okay, Patir, and Greku on in, Xat and Xzuk get ready to follow the moment the door opens, and Tolok have your sons follow. The mask let you see them right?"

Tolok nodded, "Ma'chello did 'upgrade' them to act as the visors he developed for the Tok'ra. An improvement over the TERs."

"Parey, your people should be ready to move in, but I want to hold them here in the terminal along with Lou's people. Tolok will have a Zat...a Zat'nik'tel," he saw her expression already as one who didn't know what the Tau'ri called the Jaffa-Goa'uld weapon that could also stun or kill. Tolok would follow his sons in Zat'nik'tel at the ready.

Greku actually lead the way in, both Tollans touching that odd forearm band that the SGC reported had no moving parts and walked literally through the airlock.

Then dive back out a moment later, Patir bleeding from a slash across the chest. Tony already snatched his comlock off his belt, "Helen, get a team up here we have injured."

Helena had already been ahead of that sort of thinking, "Team in reception Tony, I'm sending them in." After all the pilot could have been injured was her initial thought, then the fact this was a hostile boarding met it was likely someone would get injured.

"Some kind of dog-headed thing in there," Patir insisted on making sure he reported as Greku supported him.

"Anubis guards?" Tolok more was astonish than actually making a suggestion, which Patir shook his head as he spoke through gritted teeth and the pain of the slash, "No, I didn't say that. I said dog-headed as in literally, as in not human."

"Anubi?" Tolok's eldest suggested Lou reminded too much of his time on Abydos and the Horus headed guards with Ra.

"Possible, Ba'ta," Tolok replied to his son, "They have not been heard of since Anubis was banished of course. They were things that Anubis offered to support the Jaffa as how do you say, 'cannon fodder' though proved vicious enough some talked of replacing the Jaffa with them."

"But we proved better in battle," Kha'y boasted and Tony could see the Jaffa's father inwardly roll his eyes as he sighed.

"My son we proved we could handle the Goa'uld's technology," he was proud he didn't say magic, "Better than the Anubi."

"Should go. Enter. Know we come," Xuk's voice came from Tony's comlock.

"The Re'tu's right, we give time to organize a defense the longer we wait," Paryel pointed out.

"The Anubi do not do well to defend," Tolok's son Mek'hu spoke up from within his Horus helmet.

"They are not supposed to be able to fly Al'kesh either," Yu'ya countered as he lowered his staff weapon along with his brothers pointed at the airlock's entrance.

Tony was glad to get on with this, "Okay, ready...and now!" The doors parted, and while Tony couldn't see or hear the Re'tu enter the Al'kesh he and they were surprised that something else could.

"Plasma discharge, go my sons!" Tolok ordered and the four Jaffa charged into the Al'kesh, Lou leading two Airmen in the wake of Tolok following his sons.

Waving his hand at the stench of burnt flesh, he saw the battle was over by the time he walked into a seemingly crowded Al'kesh.

"Saw me, attacked, had to defend," Xuk reported, Selene's translation software carrying across the apologetic tones the Re'tu likely spoke.

If the literally jackal-heads of the creature didn't convince Tony of the thing's non-human origin, the digitigrade legs would.

It was later in the Command office as Tony watched John read his report that he knew what his superior was going to say before he said it.

"I know John, we need better coordination," Tony spoke in anticipation of his commander's words.

John closed the folder, "We've got so many elements to help defend Alpha now, but the best elements in the universe don't help much if we don't use them well."

"We should be finished our studies in time to have the body sent down to Area 51, John," Helena volunteered to help take the heat off Tony. Alpha was going from famine to feast as far as forces Tony had at his disposal, but it didn't take an expert to see that could be a liability as much as an asset if he didn't get organized with them.

"Alan has an interesting idea with the Al'kesh weapons, John," Victor drawled also hoping to take divert from Tony. He understood his former student had a lot of work to do and most of all he knew Tony knew this which really was the one who had to.

"We could install the two in two Eagles," Alan leaned forward, "Area 51 still gets the bombardment weapons and we could cannibalize the rings for that Ring Eagle we talked about."

"Didn't Area 51 ask for the whole Al'kesh?" Paul asked knowing General Vidrine wanted it for his program. Though he and Brigadier Bambera, indeed all the VIPs to everyone's relief, had ringed back down to Earth, their desires had been made known.

Shaking his head John filled in his 2IC, "It's not spaceworthy. No way to get it to Earth and so that puts it in Alpha's purview. The hull is not much use for more than study. Whatever that ...Anubi was going to do he didn't expect to go back to that downed Ha'tak."

"It is the way of the Anubi," Tolok volunteered, John had long ago decided to include the Jaffa priest on his command staff meetings, "It is why they did make excellent cannon fodder as you use the term."

"But not good with technology..." Kano mused studying the picture of the Khopesh, "Patir was attacked with a blade and not a Kara'bashaak'tak or Zat'nik'tel." John wasn't surprised David Kano wouldn't use the more SGC familiar names of staff weapon or Zat gun, he like to be precise with his wording as well as work.

"No, slashing, striking they could understand, firing they could not," Tolok confirmed.

"So was he ever going to actually fire the weapons on the Al'kesh?" Alan asked a rather horrifying idea coming to him. It apparently occurred to the Jaffa priest too.

"If we were his target, likely he was going to ram Moonbase Alpha," Tolok again said what everyone at the table likely thought.

"Paul how soon will SG-10 be ready to go on that mission to Mars?" John asked knowing who would go was out of his hands for the most part, but the SGC was coordinating with Alpha as an Eagle will be used to transport the space suit experienced SG team to its surface.

"Within the week commander. We're waiting on the final testing of equipment that Weyland-Yudhajit wants to field on that mission," Paul informed and didn't need the knowing nod and look in John's eyes to agree that this was a political move. They were delayed due to wanting to maintain good relations with an ally that may just share its technology with Earth.

John didn't have to be told more than once Washington really wants this alliance to work out. In light of what the rogue NID agents did to put the Confederacy off concessions such as these were to be expected to keep this kind of ally.

"I think that's it for now, dismissed everyone," John said watching folders close and people rise, he pointed his comlock to the long double doors that separated the Command Office from Main Mission. It parted to let everyone walk out and one Colonel Virginia Lake walk in.

"I didn't expect a visit so soon Colonel," John said using her rank even though she was dressed in an Alphan uniform, her sleeve purple designating her in Tony's department technically.

"Commander we've got to talk," she said walking down the steps and over to him.

Feeling the warm of his wife's body next to his as he lay awake in bed that night was a small but very welcomed comfort as John stared up at the ceiling. "It's going to come to ahead soon, Helena. Virginia either wants her own section or to be officially over Tony. Citing her former rank in the RAF higher than Tony's in the Aeronautica Militare."

Helena just snuggled closer to John smiling as she heard him inflict a fake and badly done Italian accent as he uttered the name of the Italian Air Force.

"It's only going to get worse if more UNIT backed bases go up," John sighed and sat up, Helena shortly following him, leaning her head on his shoulder, "Then you can bet the IASA will want more pull especially if their Space dock works out the way they want it."

"Well Alan's X-310 is off the drawing board with the first starting construction up there as soon as the Space dock is finished. Is it such a bad thing to have the IASA involved more than our own Air Force pulling the strings?" She knew he just needed to talk this out, at the moment there wasn't anything he could actually do about the situation.

"I suppose, and it did turn out the staff cannons work when fitted in an Eagle. Gives two Eagles some firepower they've been lacking. Alan's really been able to shine up here on the dark side of the moon." She now heard some humor creeping into John's voice, which was hopeful towards relaxing him.

Her chin now rested on his shoulder, her hands around his waist, "You know here on the dark of the moon there are some better things to think about, maybe do in the dark." She didn't have to see his face to practically feel his smile as he replied.

"Oh? I suppose you'd like to show me what we could do in the shadow of the moon?"

After their lips met, she promptly did just that.

Author's note: For those who didn't recognize the elements, the Interceptors, the other smaller moon base were from a tv show that aired back in 1970 and in fact was considered a kind of prequel to Space:1999. Called UFO, where the show's basic premise is to defend against aliens, a secret organization called SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization) is established. They had a moonbase as part of this defense, SID was part of their detection network and in some of the production notes of Space: 1999 Moonbase Alpha either grew out of this earlier smaller moonbase or was established from it.

In addition I am establishing UNIT and using the IASA of Farscape fame as the prelude to the IOA of Stargate once the events from sixth season's "Disclosure" come up in the timeline I'm working with.

Also the mentioned character Professor Bernard Quatermass comes from a British movie serial of the 1950s though a 2005 remake of the first film has been made. Harriet Jones like UNIT are from Dr. Who.

And for those UFO afficionados I did change the Character's name from Gay Ellis to Gae Ellis.


	17. Ad Astro Pugna

"Moonbase Alpha status report, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, thirty days after the establishment of space station Apollo at the L2 point on the dark side of the moon. Professor Bergman's colleague and old friend, Professor Bernard Quatermass has moved his staff from Earthside to the space station. Organized under the British Experimental Rocket Group, they have worked with Group Captain Carter to develop the 305s, 306s and now 310 and 311s from the X program run under General Vidrine. On the Mars front no other activity from the downed Ha'tak has been noticed and plans for an expedition to Mars continue with SG-10 intending to lead. Moonbase Beta has not seen any further action since the Al'kesh had been downed and with the completion of the 311s or Moonmobiles as many on Alpha and Beta calls them, supplies run regularly from Alpha to Beta."

"You know Maurice is up here not just for the launch ceremonies," John needlessly pointed out to his wife, she knew he was escaping the VIP circus of Main Mission for a moment here in Medical center, so she didn't remind him she knew this already, "I think he wants to convince Quatermass and his group to come to Area 51 and help get the X-301 developed."

"Like he tried to poach Alan a while ago?" Helena said slipping her comlock back onto her belt now that she was finished the status report, "John can't fault him. He's seen Bernard and his people get four programs in operation in under a year and Area 51 still struggling with their one."

"Since they're not trying to retrofit alien technology, they can work with principles they know will work instead of guesses," John finished what he knew the real reason to be...that and Quartermass really is a genius at spacecraft design, willing to take advice from such people outside his group as Alan and Victor.

Helen took a breath, and then plunged ahead with what she knew she had to say, "John you can't keep hiding out down here. Do you really want to have to inflict Paul with Simmons?" There were others VIPs up in Main Mission, but she knew her husband actually liked Maurice and any friend of Victor's is a friend of his, so he got along with Bernard Quartermass.

She accurately guessed that her husband was down here avoiding one Commissioner Gerald Simmonds of the IASA, a necessary evil. Part of Alpha's funding came from the IASA but covertly, indirectly, which gave Simmonds and inflated sense of importance, power and pull he had with getting his way on Alpha. This was offset with the majority of funding coming from the USAF, and now UNIT adding some funds, but not enough to live up to Victor's dream for Alpha and so that meant playing nice to Gerald Simmonds.

It wasn't the fact that a comlock beeped that caused John to wince, nor that it was his comlock, it was the guess about why it was signaling, which didn't stop the Commander of Moonbase Alpha from snatching it off his belt, "Koenig."

"John the probe ship is ready for launch," Paul announced without a trace of the tension he felt with Simmonds prowling around Main Mission.

"Thank you Paul, I'm on my way," John said and sighed, unasked Helena moved to him and he turned to her embracing her. They parted after a long moment, with only a peck to show he was fine, "Thanks, I needed that."

Helena knew Bob would keep an eye on Medical center, Ben was busy teaching the recently arrived Re'tu physician the intricacies of the human body. Their force grown clone showed they knew a lot but the fact there were mistakes with Charlie meant there was still a few things they could learn. Alpha would in turn get to learn about Re'tu physiology and Helena looked forward to the daily reports Ben wrote.

So she accompanied John to Main Mission, and found an atmosphere of restrained excitement. It was clear to her why the restraint, Simmonds seems to circle the horseshoe of consoles that most at Main Mission sat at. He gave the impression of a shark waiting for the right moment to strike swam through her mind.

Of course the one man who didn't act restrained at all was Victor. "Oh John, glad you made it. Bernard is going over the final checklist for the Psychon probe," naturally Victor was talking several steps ahead of others, this was one of the rare times this included John.

"Psychon?" John asked not recalling where that name came from.

"The planet in the Furling galaxy Commander Koenig," the face of the Keeper faded into view in the clamshell, making Simmonds flinch. The word was he was deathly afraid to be stranded on the moon during one of Chandra's tranverses.

"I finally just asked her if that volcanic planet had a proper name and she asked Chandra," Victor explained.

"I have also checked with Chandra and like before with the Eagle test, and he is willing to Transverse to that solar system should your probe ship come into difficulties," the Keeper added.

"Thank you Keeper and please pass on thanks to Chandra."

"I will Commander Koenig," she said then her face faded from view in the clamshell.

"We'll actually be looking at the second planet and then that solar system in general, John," Victor reminded his friend, "Thirty days out and then they'll be back. The longest manned deep space mission in history. But don't worry John, we do plan on a visit to Psychon itself soon."

"If and I do say if, the Mars mission goes well," Simmonds injected himself into the conversation to remind who had the authority about non SGC related missions, "We want to make sure such missions are viable before using Alpha resources such as committing an Eagle and expedition crew. I will not sign off on such a mission until I know we can get people there and back from such a hostile environment."

"The higher endurance space suits are coming along nicely, and SG-10 has the most suit experience of anyone one could name. The Free Systems work on a kind of MALP to go with them should be ready soon," Victor said listing the various assets that needed to be in place for the Mars mission, "The biggest hold up is the instance to wait until the gunship and close air support Eagles are finished development."

"Won't take too much longer," Lou Ferretti said just to join into some conversation, any conversation as he was bored since nothing was due in through the Stargate, "Modifying an Eagle pod to be like an AC-130 is easier than the A-10 adaptation. Still an AC-130 modified Eagle will provide a lot of close air support, add in the AWAC Eagle and what C-130 adaptation of a tactical air lifter and the mission to Mars is set."

Lou turned to Victor, "So Professor, are the Confed guys really going to lend us one of their APCs?"

"Yes, Louis, and as I understand it, we have an exchange program going on now with a group of your marines training using their equipment."

"Not my marines, Professor," Lou mock protested with a glance at John, who smiled at the thinly veiled interservice rivalry.

Victor did understand of course, even if Simmonds did not, "Yes, Louis not your marines, the US Marine corp., in fact our loner for their version of a MALP is coming through that arrangement under equipment. They aren't ready to take on the Goa'uld directly yet, but the Free Systems doesn't mind supporting our efforts."

"Hmph," Gerald Simmonds clearly had opinions about that, "Get us to fight for them you mean. Nothing that will lead the System Lords to their doorstep so to speak, so we take the risk and they get to see how effective their equipment works."

"Commissioner, Earth needs all its allies. Any allies it can get," General Vidrine reminded entering the conversation, "We aren't allowed to examine their equipment for reverse engineering, but we can use it. That's why Colonel Sumner is off with a dozen marines. We doubt they'll be ready by the time the Mars mission goes off, but with no suit training it was unlikely they would be sent in anyway."

"Of course, of course, General, I did not mean to imply any cowardice on the part of our allies," Simmonds countered unconvincingly. Not one in Main Mission believed he didn't think their allies were cowards.

"Astro ready for launch," Paul announced halting any further discussion and again Maurice marveled at how quickly Quatermass and his people were able to produce viable space craft. Of course his mandate are for warcafts so maybe that was the difference. Only two Eagles armed with any kind of significant weaponry to fight the Goa'ulds and even then the two were taken from the downed Al'kesh.

He'll just have to hope the 301 works as promised, Earth needs a real fighting machine to combat the Goa'uld.

Speaking of armed Eagle, Maurice thought he would ask about his favorite Australian, "Is Alan escorting the X-310 to the Supergate?" John shared a look with Helena as the General referred to the Astro as its program designation.

"Yes sir," Sandra decided to ask as most of the launch for the probe was handled by crew of the Apollo, "Alan and Bill will fly escort."

"Selene, SID and Centuri are linked up and networking fine for monitoring and directing," Kano reported as he swiveled his station to face the other consoles in Main Mission.

"Centuri?" Simmonds asked showing his ignorance.

"The supercomputer that runs space station Apollo as Selene does Alpha," David Kano explained patiently in his cultured tones.

"Right, Centuri...runs the station...is that wise?"

"David perhaps oversimplified," Victor said deciding to address the possible argument that might crop up, "Like Selene does with Alpha, Centuri monitors systems and reports to human controllers on Apollo."

"I'm still not happy with the name," Simmonds shared unasked.

"Centuri was chosen..." David began and was cut off.

"I mean Apollo. What's a US space program name belong on a primary British space station," Simmonds cut Kano off without so much a thought.

"SG-11 primarily built the station," Victor hoped he sounded diplomatic enough, "So the name they gave it was honored by IASA..."

"I know that Professor," Simmonds snapped making it obvious he hadn't.

"Astro is launching," Sandra announced in as neutral a voice as she could manage, "Eagles one and two launching."

Main view screen was on the Astro slowly pulled away from one of the nine the arms of Apollo, four of them at each end of a thin vaguely dumbbell shape with the ninth arm jutting out mid-station. That one was smaller than the other eight and had at its end a pad for reception of an Eagle, Interceptor, or in theory, a Moonmobile. Not something that anyone wanted to try with the craft meant to skim over the lunar surface.

Just about every eye was on the long ninety meter craft as it slowly slid away from Apollo, the nose of the craft with the nearly signature Eagle nosecone look followed by seventy meters of tubes, tanks and exhaust nozzles at the other end.

Eagles one and two soon moved into escort position and John liked the formation flying all three craft performed. "Sahn," he used Sandra's nickname his eyes still on the view, "Raise Eagle one will you?"

"Of course, Commander Koenig," she was going to be especially formal with Commissioner Simmonds hovering about, "Eagle one on Commander."

"Alan, how is Carroon doing?" John asked without preamble.

"Not bad for a Brit," Alan teased not knowing Simmonds was there who cleared his throat meaningfully.

"Yes, I'm sure," John didn't give a hint he heard the Commissioner as he thought he better not acknowledge Simmonds all-too-subtle way of taking offense or he would have to do something official.

Simmonds not only returned the favor but cut Koenig off as he spoke up, blotting out whatever John had intended to say. "Just remember Carter, only up to the Supergate and then back to Alpha. You have the only two armed Eagles of Alpha."

"We do have the rail gun armed ones, Commissioner," Tony felt the need to remind Simmonds.

But Simmonds was having none of that, "The two significantly armed Eagles, Mister Verdeschi. When our Eagles can actually take on a threat by themselves, then we can considered them armed."

"They are like your laser weapons, all show for the moment," he tacked on without even looking at the Italian Security Chief.

"I'll have you know those 'laser weapons' are ready for use," Tony angrily retorted causing Simmonds to actually turn his eyes from the main viewer to look at the man.

"Oh? Then why don't we see your guards armed with them? Surely if they work, they should be in use," he was thinking of the wasted time, the man-hours that Koenig had to provide to the IASA through him. "Unless you can prove results, have them in your guard's hands by the time the Psychon probe returns, then you should cease all development work on them. Turn it over to the Americans and their Area 51. I'd say turn it over to Torchwood but they only deal with -Alien- technology and those that work."

Tony fervently wished he had one of his guns here and now. Stunning Simmonds wouldn't help the situation but it would certainly give Main Mission an hour or so of peace.

Main Mission ended up with three by the time the Astro had made it to the Supergate. It helped that Commissioner Simmonds went up to the Observational balcony to sit and sulk as many thought, but he called it looking out at space and thinking. John was willing to grant him that the man really could be. He had chosen to get involved with the IASA after all.

Not that the time the man spent up there was his immediate concern. After Astro's launch, he had headed up the small series of steps to his office and closed Main Mission out to go over both base paperwork and think himself. Recognizing her husband's mood, Helena left to head back to Medical.

Ben's daily report should be about ready and she wanted to go over Re'tu physiology and medicine, making notes for Janet down at the SGC. She knew her friend was eagerly waiting for each update to say nothing of Area 51. This is the first really alien, Jaffa notwithstanding, that humanity has ever been able to study. And the Re'tu are -very- alien.

Then it would be time for the daily meeting with her staff, bring Bob up to date about what had been learned, and leave it to both Ben and Bob to pass what had been learned to the staff. She made a mental note to see if John would be free for lunch before he should be back at Main Mission for Astro's journey through the Supergate.

However the flight of the Astro was not without incident.

"Launch from Mars," SID's cultured voice echoed in Main Mission. Yasko was on duty and she patched calls through as John put the base on alert.

"SID reports another Al'kesh, though the course is not to Earth or Alpha," Yasko reported as John entered Main Mission. Policy stated he should be down in the Command Center, but with Simmonds up here, he felt he should be and not leave Paul to the Commissioner's attitude.

"What is it Koenig? Is it an attack? Should I get to the ring room?" the last question nearly eliciting a look from John who kept the inward thought that this man was terrible for morale.

"It's not heading towards us, it's on an interception course to the Astro!" Yasko voice climbed as she reached the conclusion.

"Alan!" John shouted as if his voice could carry the distance, much less in vacuum.

"Got it John, Bill and I will be ready. We're armed with the same weapons it has," though whether Alan was reminding Alpha or reassuring himself wasn't discernable.

"Can we get Gxak up there in time?" John asked turning to Yasko as she started to contact the Re'tu. She typed text for Selene to handle the actual communication and then read the reply moments later. With a shake of her head, she replied, "No Commander, not for another hour at the earliest. They want to know if we want them to start launch procedures in any case."

"Thank them but tell them no. In an hour it won't make any difference one way or the other. I do want a Rescue Eagle on the pad though just in case."

Yasko acknowledged the order and followed through as Main Mission filled up with their assigned personnel. She rose as Sandra arrived, heading down to her post at the Command Center.

Paul was over her shoulder as if his personally looking at her console could change anything they reported. He briefly shifted his attention to where Alan would have been sitting, "Renner is on the pad, Commander."

Commander. With that one word, Paul set the tone of his by-the-book approach. Oh the man could be passionate about a subject, but it never got in the way of what he saw as his duty.

Kelly Renner was suited up and completing preflight checks while waiting for whatever rescue team Helena would send along, and half expecting the head physician herself. The Canadian astronaut spared a thought for the love of his life, Melita, a smile creasing his face as he had not expected to fall in love on Alpha.

Love was not anywhere near the mind of one Alan Carter as he tried to plan out his first offensive in deep space. This wasn't fighting in a jet, nothing like a helicopter. You can't make use of terrain features, air currents, altitude. In a sense this most represented the proverbial western shoot out where the first one to get the shot was the one to win.

If they were even that is. Alan recalled an Al'kesh had shields, an Eagle does not. However if the last Al'kesh launched from that Goa'uld base on Mars is any indication, then shields won't be a factor. The problem is they didn't know.

They did have to take it on before it was in range of the Astro. Like the Eagle, it didn't have shields and it was pretty much one-shot, one-kill. The nose module was detachable, and was designed to do so in case of planetary landings, but presuming it survived the shot, it only meant a second shot would be required.

Not something Alan intended on being on option in the first place.

So his two Eagles were moving to intercept the Al'kesh, hoping it was as broken down as the other one and wishing Gxak was there flying with them. His ship would be definitely one-shot, one-kill from a greater distance and the Al'kesh would likely not even see it coming.

In a perfect universe, which this wasn't.

"I'll draw his fire, Bill, you go silent running and then hit him, as I pass by," Alan decided already imagining the pilot of Eagle two ready to argue, "Don't worry, cobber, I'll be alright. Besides, if I risk you what would I say to Annette?"

"And what she might say to you," Bill put in thinking of his wife fondly, which sparked a smile briefly, "Okay Alan, play a better hand up here than you do poker. Don't be an easy target."

"Hey!" the Australian protested, and then schooled his features as his instruments showed the Al'kesh entering into range and then fired. It was unlikely to hit, but it was very likely to get the pilot of the Al'kesh's attention. Which it did as an answering volley was fired.

"Up and away," Alan muttered hitting the landing rockets to shoot his Eagle 'up' relative the approaching Al'kesh. He then used the thrusters to spin the Eagle in a way no aircraft in an atmosphere ever could and engaged the main engines. The quartet of nozzles at the rear of the Eagle quickly expelled their reaction mass shooting him away from the Al'kesh as it sped up to follow firing as it did.

Alan planned his vector, one that would take him past where Bill and his Eagle hopefully didn't register as anything worth noticing.

"Anytime Bill," Alan prompted as Eagle two began to position itself, fire up the Naqahdah generator, and then shoot. That was when they did find out the old Al'kesh did not have shields as several of Bill's shots hit, but its armor prevented a one-hit, one-kill result. They also found that now Bill had the Al'kesh's complete attention, especially as a target for its weapons.

Bill tried to evade and for the most part he did with the keyword being most. Al'kesh cannon fire tore at Eagle's main engine, shredding the main engine block at the rear, yet not detonating the Naqahdah generator, sending him spiraling as he worked to use thrusters to regain control of his flight.

Alan saw this, and spun his Eagle once again, this time while still traveling in the direction of his initial main engine burn, in essence appearing to fly backwards, he lined up his targeting reticule and found that while the Al'kesh was well armored, the cockpit was not. Alan's shot seared into that space vaporizing the pilot and, if there had been any, passengers as well.

"One-shot, one-kill!" Main Mission barely heard Alan whoop as their own cheering echoed in the multi-tiered space.

"Somehow it seems wrong," Simmonds muttered watching the expanding cloud of debris that was once an Al'kesh.

John didn't want to ask, but felt the Commissioner wouldn't have spoken unless he wanted someone to bite at the verbal bait he dangled. "What's that Commissioner?"

"No sound, no thunderous explosive noise," and he chuckled, "Spoiled by the cinema, that's what we have here."

"What was it like Alan?" Paul asked, with Sandra noting he was going to off-duty form of address, they were standing down after all, now with the Rescue Eagle en route. Kelly would get to Bill soon enough.

"Like nothing you can imagine. Certainly not the swooping and diving we did in the air back on good old planet Earth," Alan excitedly replied.

Before it had been just traveling from point A to B, with several tense moments where the actual fighting was done by the Re'tu or in an atmosphere, now with his first fight in space under his belt he was seeing this was as different as the first fights with planes must have been to land or sea fighting.

Paul was thinking along the same lines apparently, teasing as much as he might on duty as he said, "You're going to have to start to write the book on fighting in space. You know that don't you?"

"So I win the fight and end up with more work? Where's the justice in that mate?" no-one could mistake the humor in his voice.

"Just get on with your mission Eagle one and then figure out your post-flight plans," John said with a smile. In fact Simmonds was the only one in Main Mission not smiling at this time, though his earlier chuckle still surprised some.

"He will have to start that book though. We're just taking our steps up here," Maurice shared with Victor as the two watched the viewscreen from the balcony. Astro was still another hour from the Supergate, soon enough those gathered for the alert will start to drift away back to where they were before. Indeed it wasn't long before Yasko changed places with Sandra.

"You're right of course, Maurice. I just wish we had more time to do some plain exploring before we had to learn to fight. Still we're fortunate to be out here at all, and it does no-one any good to stick our heads into the metaphorical sands pretending its all peace and goodness out here."

"Unbalanced idealism will get you killed," Maurice commented admiring the founder of the base, both now had turned to look out the observation windows their backs to Main Mission below.

Maurice's comment earned a smile from Victor as he tore his eyes from the window to look at the Air Force General, and his friend, "I take it that means you approve of a balanced idealism?"

"We wouldn't be out here, or gotten as far without it, Victor."

"They're dialing up the Supergate," Bernard said with dignified excitement down below among the consoles of Main Mission. In some ways he and Victor were cut from the same cloth and not just because both were British. Victor and Maurice blinked, had they really been staring out at space for so long?

Most eyes were up on the view screen. Paul had to divert to guide Kelly bringing Eagle two back with its pilot, he knew Annette was at that pad's reception area waiting for her husband, and spotted Melita around the outskirts of Main Mission, ostensively checking the readouts on the wall computer there, but really to be around for updates about Kelly.

Both of them probably thinking they had enough adventure for today, unlike the very excited Professor Bernard Quartermass as he summed up what most in Main Mission thought as they watched the Astro fly through the Supergate.

"Away she goes, off to another galaxy!"

Helena and John were up at the top of the stairs that lead to the Command Office, hand in hand they watched the first deep space long term mission of mankind begin. "Extragalactic," John whispered through a smile, his eyes bright. Helena could see there was also a touch of envy in those eyes that he would have loved to go on that mission.

"Quite a year," she added equally as quiet as Main Mission bustled a few steps below them, "You've gone from flying a shuttle mission on what we thought was the pinnacle of human space technology to commanding a base on the moon, to sending a mission outside of the galaxy."

Her words had the intended effect, the spark of envy mellowed into a gaze of acceptance and more importantly perspective. "Two years ago I couldn't imagine getting to high orbit above the Earth, now just from flying one emergency space shuttle launch to rescue SG-1lead to coming so far as to traveling to other worlds and galaxies." Now he smiled down at his wife, giving her hand a squeeze, "I guess I'm being ridiculous. It's not like I haven't been outside our galaxy."

"Probably that little boy in you who wants to do it with more risk than taking the whole moon with you," she quietly teased. Their gaze had briefly shifted to where Simmonds and Professor Quatermass were talking. She was grateful to the Professor for freeing up John to be with her right now and knew her husband was probably more grateful for to be relieved of the stressful Commissioner.

"If the Psychon probe is successful they'll be more," Helena reminded John, "Maybe if you're a good little Commander, General Hammond will actually let you go on one. I just have a piece of advice," her tone brought his attention right back to her, his brows raised in both question and invitation to continue.

"You better assign your wife as the medical officer."

Author's note: Eagle fight mostly choreographed by Ash's Boomstick with much thanks! Space station Apollo is the Space Dock from the canon Space:1999 show, called Centuri by fans. The probe ship, called the X-310 is the Ultra Probe from the Space:1999 episode Dragons Domain. I'm bringing it up now so when I do an adaptation of Dragons Domain it won't seem as if it came out of nowhere. The Ultra probe is called to an Astro class in the technical notes of the show. The title is a play on the name of the class as well as a fight in space, though I hope those who actually know Latin will forgive my tormenting the language in this manner with pugna meaning battle, contest, battle-array.

Professor Bernard Quatermass is a character who was featured in three influential BBC science fiction serials of the 1950s, and returned in a final serial for Thames Television in 1979. A remake of the first serial appeared on BBC Four in 2005. The character of Quatermass has been described by BBC News Online as Britain's first television hero.


	18. Ends Wells

Ends Wells

"Moonbase Alpha status report, thirty-three days since the launch of the Psychon probe, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. The crew of the ship are in excellent health and celebrations of their return three days ago are finally dying down. However Commissioner Simmons is still reluctant to approve a mission to the world Keeper has identified as Psychon just yet, not until the mission to Mars is safely completed. To that end SG-10 is on Alpha to prepare for the mission along with Dr. Daniel Jackson of SG-1. Pete Garforth reports that the specialized modules for the Eagles to go have been completed although out of the new Eagle modules only the Gunship Eagle will be going to Mars. Currently excitement with the return of the Psychon probe is balanced with apprehension with the mission to Mars. It also marks the first use of equipment on loan from the Confederation of Free Worlds that SG-10 has been training to work with.

Helena paused, going over what else to put in the log and finally just switched it off. Up until lately John had the habit of hanging around when she recorded these entries. While it started off as making her feel self-conscious, she now found she missed having him as an audience of sorts. However he was busy organizing this mission. No-one wanted even a downed Ha'tak still in enemy hands right in the solar system.

Then she thought of something else and switched back on the recorder, "Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, the addition to the medical staff with the Re'tu physician Dr. Misthate-ama," Helena was glad she could pronounce that name, though most just called him Mist, or Dr. Mist if they couldn't wrap their tongues around his name, "is going well and we are each at the point where we are feeling more confident to treat the other species injuries should they come up. V'Xes was happy about the addition to his staff and mentioned there might be third one joining soon. On another Re'tu front, the pilot Gxak has stumbled upon another less technical way to keep track of our invisible allies and while some of them are resistant to the notion, others are coming around."

"It's not like someone likes to wear a collar or bell that says here am I," said a voice suddenly that made Helena gasp and jump.

"John!" and he could see she was getting ready for an oration.

"I just didn't want to interrupt you, and I finally got a break and..." he wasn't sure if she wanted to hear it all, but at least the moment of her possible tongue lashing for surprising her passed.

"And you missed listening to me record these logs?" she offered partly because she suspected that was true, partly because she hoped that was it. With their busy schedules sometimes it was nearly like a date with them. Something each could count on the other showing up for.

His smile said yes even as his lips held only a shadow of what was obvious on his face, "Something like that."

"Well fortunately we don't need bells on," Helena went on knowing she'd have to erase the last part of the recording as she switched it off.

"But asking the Re'tu to wear scarves? I'm sure some of them feel it might as well be bells. Gxak it makes sense. Ever since he saw those old movies about pilots he's been wearing one," John shared what they both knew all ready.

"And goggles, don't forget the goggles," Helena pointed out. John's smile grew wider as he recalled the requisition forms he had to fill out for those. It was almost easier for someone to just use their leave time down on Earth to buy a pair to give the alien pilot. Not that he could use them since the Re'tu had eye-stalks too far out from their heads to fit.

"Is your friend still thinking of trying to make a leather flight jacket for him?" John prompted still in disbelief.

"Raine is a costumer as a hobby," she smiled thinking of the last time she, well Cassie, was able to get them to another science fiction convention. Another all girls out weekend, though Helena couldn't remember what Cassie had her wear as a costume. Raine made it, and she guessed it might have something to do with Star Trek but not which era. Well she could discount the original series, she'd have remembered wearing a mini-skirt. So would John and he's insist on pictures.

Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea next time Cassie organizes another trip.

"But a Re'tu? That's got to be a bit too challenging even for her," John liked the small talk, it was a good break from the preparations going on, even if the subject matter would be a bit too bizarre to be considered insane a year or two ago. Nor could he have such conversations with just anyone, as his wife and her friend Raine who works out of the Air Force Academy hospital have the clearances and experiences that only practicing medicine and being part of Dr. Janet Frasier's team at the SGC could give.

John's comlock peeped and he snatched it from his belt with an apologetic look at his wife, "Koenig."

Paul looked out from the tiny screen, "John, SG-10 is making their last leg around with AMEE. They should be back in and ready for debriefing in about an hour."

"Thanks Paul, keep me appraised," John placed the comlock back on his belt after the conversation ended, "Duty calls."

"It always does," Helena chimed in and John smiled, appreciating the lack of rancor in her tone. It could easily have come out resentful, and she was rarely that. Yet another reason why he loved her.

A peck on the cheek was light, but it was just what John needed as he left Medical to head back to Main Mission.

Paul watched the main viewer as the Autonomous Mapping Evaluation and Evasion, or AMEE for short, lead SG-10 back to Alpha after being dropped yet again randomly from an Eagle to navigate her way to the base. Soon enough the loan from the Free Worlds would be deployed on Mars to help the team explore around the base of Olympus Mons. It was believed that there was a way into the highest known volcano and mountain in the Solar System.

AMEE may have started out as the Free Worlds version of a MALP, but they exceeded what Earth could produce. Paul remembered Kano unpacking what looked to him like a collection of metal bracings in the shape of a box. David pressed something and the bracings unfolded revealing a wiry and skeletonized form that had, to Paul's sense of order, no precise animal analog, yet couldn't shake the feeling it had one.

If he had to define it he would say it was sort of similar to both a jaguar and a monkey from the way it moved on either four or two legs, the front appendages acting as either arms or legs.

He tore himself away from the memory of that to the current 'discussion' Alan was having with what Paul would never say out loud, were the Davids. Well David Kano and Dave Reilly, with Lew Picard standing back out of the hot tones exchanged.

"...and I say Selene has nothing to worry about. Yes, I agree there is some discrepancies, but over all this is the best place to put down with the Eagles," Reilly was reiterating again, and Paul knew his approach was wrong. He'll never convince Kano that the supercomputer was wrong.

"Selene wouldn't have brought it up if it wasn't important, she just doesn't make 'hunches' or 'guesses,'" Kano replied in his urbane and yet clearly exasperated voice, "She isn't saying it is not safe to land only that what we see visually doesn't match what should be there geologically.

"It does seem as if it is a bit too...flat," Lew tried to be the voice of reason, "But Dave's right, it isn't a danger to an Eagle."

"Well we're not setting down there if there is," Alan said definitively looking from David to Dave.

"Look everyone, let's agree something is off and proceed shall we? John will want some progress on this before the final briefing," Victor walked in placing a hand on David's and Dave's shoulders. Like two schoolboys who know better than to fight in front of their teacher, both Kano and Reilly silently agreed to end the argument.

"I know I would like to take a look at that area and so if it is one of the better landing spots, yet has a bit of mystery what more do we need. Remember we will have the new ground support Eagle available," Victor reminded everyone of the gunship version of the Eagle, the module based on the Lockheed AC-130.

"So Professor, beyond the discrepancy, why the interest in that particular area?" Karyel suddenly interposed herself into their conversation, having walked up to Victor from her station. She sensed something about the kindly Tau'ri and wanted to know more.

Victor had a wry smile on his face, "Well, just a boyhood fancy Karyel. Story I heard as a child that had that area as a possible one for its location."

"A bit of nostalgia, Professor?" Dave asked calming down and actually had a smile on his face, Victor had that way about him, an eye of calm in the storms of human emotivity around him.

That earned Dave a near glare from Karyel who didn't want her Professor interrupted by the other savages around her.

Patting her hand, Victor felt it would be better to say than let this very minor mystery grow to something it wasn't. "As a young boy, no more than five or six..."

"You remember that far back, Professor?" Reilly asked amazed and did earn a full glare from Karyel, who quickly turned back to looking at her Professor.

"Well yes Dave, I suppose I do. One of the few things I remember back then, but it could have been because of who it was connected to," by now all of Main Mission was listening in, Sandra kept splitting her attention between the returning SG-10 and Victor, no-one noticing the Koenigs walking in.

John and Helena had caught some of what Victor had said and deliberately drew no attention to themselves as they listened hand in hand.

"H.G. Wells as some of you know, like to tell stories, well write them of course," Victor began to the hush of Main Mission, "But towards the end of his life there were a few of us he actually told stories to. Not a large gathering, a select few. I had never forgotten them of course, and he told them as if these stories might be true and the basis of the fiction he wrote."

"War of the Worlds?" Reilly snorted, "You're not saying that was one of the true ones are you Professor?"

"Well, we have seen strange things now haven't we Dave?" Victor replied to the Irish cowboy who found himself nodding along with everyone else, "It didn't really come back to me until after our first trip to Mars, and then I started reminiscing about that story of his. Years later Torchwood would take it serious enough to speculate where it might have happened on Mars."

"Why Professor?" Kano asked for all of them.

"There were artifacts that were the basis of Mr. Wells' story. One he encountered as a young man, others Torchwood and UNIT found here and there along with missing person stories that they traced to about the same time. These artifacts were about as big as your American football," neither John nor Helena were surprised he spotted them walking in, everyone else seem to be, "Yet they were more like a crystal egg."

"You couldn't drill it, acid wouldn't eat away at it, and it was harder than anything we knew at the time. Fortunately useless too and blackened from its use because Mr. Wells believed these objects acted as a kind of doorway between Earth and Mars, his story was in a way a warning as he believed the objects took people back to Mars as different kinds of specimens."

"He didn't know of course, and even after Torchwood, I was rather skeptical, but now we see that plain Mr. Wells described...all its missing are the pyramids."

"Pyramids?" John wasn't really asking a question, his tone suggested he had his answer.

Victor was nodding already, "My thought too after what we've seen with the Goa'uld. Could it be that back then it was a Goa'uld operation. An experimental gate for instance?"

"And you want to find out for sure?" this time John was asking a question, even if it hurt his friend hadn't brought this up earlier.

"No, John. It's clear from both our own photos and SID's that there is nothing there and while the Ha'tak could have been that pyramid Mr. Wells described, it was clearly buried longer than the late 1800s. No John, I more want to just indulge a childhood fancy, be in the place of Mr. Wells story, I don't actually think we'll find hostile Martians there."

"I still like to take some precautions," Tony spoke up from his security station.

"Your new 'ray guns?'" Reilly quipped proving Alan isn't the only one to tease Tony.

"Yes my new 'Ray guns,'" came the retort, Tony gesturing with his fingers quotation marks around the last two words, "They work...most of the time." Dave Reilly either didn't hear the Italian or decided further ribbing was uncalled for.

"SG-10 has returned, Commander Koenig," Sandra announced.

"Let's give them thirty minutes and then I want to see everyone involved for the pre-mission meeting," John announced as he headed up to his office. It would be a long meeting, but worth it to finally get ready for this mission to Mars.

Steve, Anthony and Roger of SG-10 sat in the passenger seats of Eagle ten as Paul went over the preflight check with Steve who would be piloting it. The docs had waddled off and now Steve was ready to have his Eagle pad raise up to launch position. Paul was glad the Mondoshawan helped finished construction of the pads, Alpha now had all five, which will soon have an Eagle apiece on its pad ready to launch.

Alan reviewed in his mind one more time where his Eagles fit in this operation. Nine at first to launch in waves of three, despite having five pads available now. He'll lead the first wave of Eagle one, five and six. His job would be to protect the AWACs and Reconnaissance Eagles.

He'll be followed by Tony in Eagle four, technically a Survey Eagle, but really carrying his people who will help secure the landing zone along with Eagle eight's tank.

Leave it to MacKendrick to figure out how to have an Eagle transport one of his beloved tanks to Mars. Not just any tank, but the one he actually named, Pearly.

Eagle seven has the new gunship module on it, and already it's being referred to as a Gunship Eagle.

Finally the last wave will bring the Professor along in one of the new Laboratory Eagles. Not just tricked out with scientific equipment, but has small but well-equipped laboratories as well as additional airlocks for decontamination purposes. Bill in Eagle two will cover that Eagle and the other Survey Eagle that has the SG teams on it. Alan smiled correcting himself. A single SG team, plus one as Dr. Jackson's been made an honorary member of SG-10.

Still Alan knew he better make sure Daniel gets back or he'll get an earful from his cousin Sam. Known as the smartest Carter among their clan of two countries he didn't want to think about how many words she could use to let him know what she would think of him for letting something happen to Daniel.

"Each lead Eagle sound off," Alan said as launch time approached. "Tony Verdeschi, Eagle four is a go."

"Bill Fraser, Eagle two is a go."

"Roger Eagles, Main Mission has begun countdown, see you in the black mates," Alan said to them all.

John watched the main screen wishing he could be on one of those Eagles. Victor was going and wouldn't hear a no even if someone tried to talk the founder of Alpha out of going into a potential combat zone. His team in Eagle three nearly had to be chosen by lot. They were going on a scientific mission to Mars, and while their papers they'd write would likely be classified for years, it didn't dissuade any of them from wanting to go.

What did satisfy him was how he talked his wife to be on the Rescue Eagle instead of any of the three waves of Eagles. It was probably unfair to say he talked her into it, more like she let him convince her to remain even if she wished she was going with Victor.

One-by-one Sahn would guide the waves of Eagles through take-off, although in theory all could launch at once, it would be a traffic controller's nightmare if they did.

"Eagles one, five and six, you have a go to launch," he Burmese accent crisp and sharp as her concern was buried beneath a mask of professionalism.

Once the first wave was up and on its way, John heard Sahn speak after Eagle seven was raised into place as the Eagle before it had launched, "Eagle four, seven and eight, you have a go, launch."

Again another pause as the other Eagles were transferred from the 'Nest' and placed on vacated pads to be raised in position. Then Sahn took over from there, "Eagle two, three and ten you have a go, launch." Up on the screen everyone could see the three waves in formation with each other and the other waves traveling with them.

"Apollo signaling readiness to launch Mars probe," Sahn announced after a moment. John had heard Professor Quatermass had his people work day and night, if one could call it such on a space station, to get a ship ready to go along with the Mars mission.

John nodded once and heard Sahn say, "Apollo, Mars probe has a go, launch." The Astro class ship will have a larger sensor platform than any Eagle could carry and would act as a support ship to the waves.

"It will be a while before they arrive at Mars," John said as he ascended the stairs to his office, "Paul keep me posted."

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, the first wave of the mission to Mars Eagles has arrived and so far there appears to be no activity from the Ha'tak in Olympus Mons. Of course, currently no Eagle is flying at any angle to allow the grounded ship to fire at them. Waves are spaced out far enough so that there will be time for the previous waves to complete their initial objectives before the others arrive."

"Hoping we aren't needed Dr. Russell?" Kelly asked from up front, using her maiden name was another way of keeping things professional for the Canadian astronaut ready to pilot Eagle twelve should it be needed.

"Partially," came the surprising answer, at least to Kelly, Dr. Ed Spencer was pretty sure why she would say that and agreed with her thinking.

"If Victor is right, then there are people who were taken to Mars from Earth, they'll need transport off and Eagles nine and eleven will help out with however many found."

"Won't they be...well dead? It has been over a century," part of Kelly hoped they were and imagined dried out husk in whatever cells or labs these Martians may have kept them.

Although she couldn't be seen by Kelly, Helena still shook her head, "Victor mentioned that part of the story that chilled him the most was the way Wells suggested a kind of stasis and we've already seen a few things that Tolok said could have been kept alive due to it."

Just thinking about that shut Kelly up, small talk to pass the time away was one thing, promoting thoughts guaranteed to give him nightmares was another. He hoped the Eagles don't find anything.

"I've found something," Clive called out from his station, "It's like a ripple, a fringe effect like the SGC reported Nirrti had when she was using her cloaking technology." The photographer worked his magic and soon shared his zoom photography catching the very slight ripples at the base of the mountain as well as the entire area Selene stated was an anomaly.

"Selene suggested a kind of Doppler effect, rare yet regular enough if spaced out among the months observing this area," David explained back in Main Mission once the data arrived later. Now that he knew what to look for he fed more data to his beloved supercomputer and had her do the rest.

John went over to David's station and leaned over his shoulder, "Show me what you have, Kano."

"The Doppler shift is here and here, all the rest of what we are seeing is as we see it for the most part."

"The most part?" John echoed as a question.

"There -might- be a thicker and warmer atmosphere under this...cloak. I'll be able to tell more once the Mars probe is in orbit."

"We could use Keck III," Paul suggested, "At least have a go at seeing if we can gather more data."

"Do it. Sahn go ahead and update Mars mission personnel, especially the Mars probe," John knew there would be a delay so he didn't try to carry on a two-way conversation.

Tony settled Eagle four down gently, looking through the viewport at a blue sky and very red sand, "Not like the rest of the planet at all."

He raised his voice, "Mek'hu and Yu'ya follow the Re'tu out. I don't care if the instruments read an atmosphere we can breathe, keep button up everyone!"

Xat and Xzuk went out first, whatever they used as suits were just as unseen as they are. Clive knew where to look and followed the footprints in the sand, but no one else could beyond Tolok's sons as their helmets included an upgrade from Ma'chello. It was booby trapped of course. Any other Jaffa, or Goa'uld, who wore either of these helmets would have a Goa'uld-eradicating worm injected into their bodies.

So the two armored and completed sealed Jaffa advanced to sweep the area where Eagle three and ten would land. Tony had to smile considering the latter Eagle, it wouldn't take much to have someone jiggle the assignment of Eagles to arrange for SG-10 to get Eagle ten.

MacKendrick felt the jolt as his tank hit the Martian soil, he was bringing up the screens that showed where even the two Re'tu were in relation to him. Wouldn't do to crush their allies like so much the bugs they resemble now.

Both Jaffa stopped and held up a closed fist, Clive had a camera modified to see the Re'tu slowing to a halt. When they wanted to the centaur and insect like aliens could really cover some ground.

"Getting a seismic reading, but local, not what I'd expect for a Marsquake," MacKendrick said sharing his readings.

Xzuk shifted an eyestock, "Incoming, 9 o'clock from Mak-ken-drink!" MacKendrick didn't take offense, nor did he wince as Tony did, he just thought the 'lad' was doing the best he could with his name and went with it, turning Pearly in the direction where he could plainly see a mound of sand moving towards them.

Then another, and another, "...we've got about ten of them. Ferretti how about a little air support for our allies?"

Major Louis Ferretti was glad to be flying again. Eagle seven handled well and he was circling low enough to see the mounds and their approach to the Jaffa, Re'tu and the currently landed Eagle four.

"Hold off Eagle seven, we don't know they're hostile," Tony hated saying that. To him they screamed hostile, "Doctor Jackson, what do think?"

"Let's pull our people up and off the ground for now, see if that has any effect on them," Daniel suggested hoping this could turn out to be a peaceful first contact. In his gut he didn't think it would and not because they came armed to the teeth either.

"Ground team, you've got incoming Anubi from the base of the mountain," Alibe reported rattling off distance, direction and time before arrival. Clive feed a picture to all the Eagles and the slow crawl the signal would take back to Alpha.

"Xat, Xzuk, Mek'hu, Yu'ya, get back onboard, fast!" Tony told his ground party. Feeling bad it was only non-humans out there, yet they had the combat ready space suits, Alpha didn't. However they did have more flexible suits than NASA or RKA, and it wasn't as if he left the human members of his team back on Alpha.

"Allyn, N'Dole," cover the retreat!" both men were already suited up as well as Bill Lowry and Madhav Zahin. The latter two would help everyone in, while Irwin and Pierre covered the Jaffa and Re'tu heading towards the Eagle.

"While the Anubi are heading towards the mounds, the mounds have changed course and now are heading towards the Anubi," Alibe reported.

"This is Mars probe," came the accented voice of Tonio Cellini, another Italian like Tony, yet unlike his fellow countryman Tonio had a noticeable accent, "We're getting a structure, two of them from the direction the mounds have come from."

Clive shifted his main camera, "Nothing."

"Not reading anything here either," Alibe chimed in, but keeping her focus on the two presumed hostiles headed towards each other.

"Our scanner, it is Tollan, that is why. Believe me there are two structures there. Not as tall as a Ha'tak, but I believe they are pyramids."

Victor startled at that, "Two pyramids? That has to be it!" Despite the upcoming conflict, he nearly crowed and shook hands with Tolok and Nyan who were just happy for him without understanding. In tens of minutes after that, Alpha would get the news.

H.G. Wells was right.

Celebration was the last thing on Lou's mind as he watched some of the moving mounds of Martian sand shift directions. Some were towards MacKendrick, some towards Eagle four and oddly some in his direction. He could see two of them kept changing course and it seemed to match his circling of Eagle four and Pearly.

Louis did not expect a bolt of energy to fly up and out of the mound, nor nearly miss him. "This is Eagle seven I am taking fire, repeat I am taking fire."

"Confirmed Eagle seven," Alibe uttered by way of procedure, while one Tonio Cellini was feeling himself sweat in the hot seat. He now empathized with his friend and fellow ex-astronaut John Koenig. Making the call as he could have put it, wasn't as easy as he might have thought. This wasn't Earth, this wasn't some mission flown for the Aeronautica Militare, nor was he flying as a mission specialist on a NASA space shuttle. This was all the above combined with the cliché of a bug eyed monster from Mars.

And as Clive focused the main camera on the source of the shooting everyone could see it -is- a bug-eyed monster...with a gun. At least the odd shoulder held tube with a glowing crystal at the end could be thought of as a weapon.

"Eagle seven you have weapons free, engage at will," Tonio realized he could be fighting the enemy of my enemy, but right now they were not their friends.

He shifted his gaze to the mounds approaching Eagle four and that Brit's moon tank he called Pearly. "All ground teams, you have weapons free," he said deciding that if there was a misunderstanding, it wasn't going to cost human, or their allies, lives.

Lou had the 20 mm Gatling guns going first, raining the mounds that exploded in sand and it turned out gore.

Cyril smiled as he began to fire the rain gun of his tank with similar results that the gatling guns were producing. Tolok's sons were acquainted enough with Tau'ri terms to know what weapons free meant and didn't need Tony Verdeschi's order to fire their staff weapons as they retreated to the Eagle.

With one of Clive's views on that Eagle, Tonio and his crew of the Mars probe saw the sight of alternating fire from the Jaffa and Re'tu. Anubi fell even as some started running at them, a portion not realizing who was ending so many of their lives as they couldn't see the Re'tu.

Not one side backed off, even allies until they reached Eagle four and they seemed reluctant to board, yet board they did under Tony's command. Then Eagle four launched, which would have left one retired ex-Coldstream Guards 7th Cavalry tank driver and his tank on the ground alone to face the surviving attackers.

Except there weren't any.

Once the sand had settled again, there were remains of both attacking groups, but nothing living save MacKendrick in his tank.

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, we have heard of both the battle the Mars mission went through and the likely discovery of two pyramids that may have nothing to do with the Goa'uld and whose earlier expeditions to Earth may have inspired HG Wells to write in his works as a warning, not just an entertaining story. Eagles Three, four and ten have landed and while Professor Bergman leads one group to investigate the pyramids, SG-10 will proceed to backtrack where the aliens known as Anubi came from and hope to find a passage into Olympus Mons and complete their mission before the final Eagle would be launched."

"Helena?" John's voice was concerned as it came over the small viewscreen in front of her seat, "You've been on the pad for hours. I'm sure you can get someone to stand in for you if you decide to take a break."

John knew he could order her to, and she'd obey, but she wouldn't like it and later he wouldn't. It really didn't hurt her to wait on the Rescue Eagle and it did make her feel as if she were doing something to help. In some ways he envied her, and that was another reason not to order her to take a break. She was ready and free to go help, he had to remain on Alpha. No, he wouldn't deprive her even a moment of that feeling.

"I'm fine John, but thanks." John decided after the image winked out that it was good just to see that smile of hers, slight and tired but a smile nonetheless. It was worth the call just to see it and hear her voice again.

Turning his mind towards Mars with Victor and everyone else, John's smile grew as he imagined what his mentor and friend must be feeling right now.

"This is incredible!" Victor looked up at the pyramids that a few steps ago no-one could see.

"You see something Professor?" Tonio was glad just to have the confirmation of his instruments, much less feel the excitement. Like many at Alpha, Victor Bergman had been a teacher of his, in fact it was in his class that he met John, which would lead to his getting that extra boost to land a NASA shuttle mission. He had no idea knowing both men would lead to this.

"Oh Tonio, its hard to describe what I feel right now, but yes we see two pyramids," Victor walked a head to the consternation of Tony who followed close behind, signaling his people to the right and left.

"More Mayan than Egyptian influence," Daniel said as he looked at the structures.

"I would have thought one of your Ziggurats," Nyan commented and Daniel spared a smile to his fellow archeologist, Bedrosian born but sharing the same interest to uncover the past.

Victor laid a hand on both of their shoulders, then walked a head, "Let's go find out shall we?"

Lt. Colonel Steve Austin kept an eye on AMEE who methodically, yet somehow in his mind, sleekly scouted ahead of them as 'she' backtracked where the Anubi had come from. He was really amazed at what the bot could do considering the foot prints sometimes ended due to the unexpected wind.

"There might be a natural vent up ahead," Major Roger Healy commented after checking instruments and taking another look around, his background in geology coming to the foreground. It was also the main point to SG-10's part of the mission to Mars.

"Then we're likely on the right track," Steve said noting Mek'hu and Yu'ya flanking them. He didn't look around for Xat, he'd just have to trust the Re'tu had their six.

Tony had put Xzuk on point, a fact he knew the Professor would frown about except he also saw the prudence in having an invisible scout. Hoping that Xzuk wouldn't totally rely on the fact it was unlikely he was seen.

"Toniverdeschi," Tony inwardly sighed about the mobile translation software that butchered his name when spoken by the Re'tu, "We may want haste, there may be survivors from your planet here. I am seeing various animals of your world being removed from crystal floating in the dark and then taken off to the side before they are exterminated and their remains drained into a kind of vat."

Victor looked pale, and Daniel was already reading his weapon, Nyan joining him. Unlike the Alphans, they carried Zat'nik'tels.

"They are taking out their first human," Xzuk reported over the radio and then everyone there heard weapons fire, Re'tu weapons fire, followed by lots of loud clicking and energy bolts like before.

"Get up there!" Tony shouted to his men, Lou began to pilot Eagle seven in that direction. He couldn't help them once they went in, but if the enemy pokes their bug eyes out, they were his.

What Tony saw as he entered the pyramid was a mass of burning bugs, or whatever those things are, possibly Martians if Wells is to be believed. He saw a floating crystal sphere and under it a boy that looked like he walked out of a production of Oliver dressed in the 1800s, Tony couldn't have been more precise than to lump the whole era together right then.

Right then Tony's senses were assaulted with the sounds of screeching...Martians, he saw that the boy had long since dove to lay flat on the ground, covering his head and ears. What hit Tony the most was the smell of burnt whatever the Martians were made out of. Xzuk was using his invisibility to full advantage, shooting and then moving, sometimes shooting as he moved.

Here and there Tony could see the flash of a Re'tu plasma discharge followed by the screech of a Martian.

Daniel rushed by Tony in a shot, followed by Victor, Nyan and Tolok, three heading for the boy, while the Jaffa priest following with the intent to protect his friend and allies. Allyn and N'Dole took up positions at the doorway, flanking it and covering the trio.

As Tony went down into the pyramid, he saw the first flash of one of his Telsa's go off, the energy flying past him. From were it had to come, he guessed N'Dole was the first. The bolt had a distinctive sound to it and the bug-eyed Martian did crumb, likely on stun.

Since they were obviously working or at least against the Martian's physiology, both Security men started just shooting. It was like a Zat in many ways. Beam impacts seems to flow over the target accompanied by what looked like electricity. So stun works, Tony concluded with a smile out of place as he rushed to the scientist and one small boy who was likely out of place in time.

Steve heard evidence of fighting before he actually followed AMEE into the entrance she found. If someone asked him a year ago about a robot doing martial arts he would have thought ridiculous. Yet there was AMEE, performing something a kin to jujitsu, parkour, or taijitsu. Steve couldn't tell which, he just made his way in through where AMEE cleared it, followed by Anthony, Roger, then Tolok's sons and he presumed Xat.

Xat's presence was confirmed as a plasma discharge sent one Anubi flying, and then it was just a firing frenzy of gunfire, staff weapon fire and whatever Steve would call the Re'tu weapons fire.

"Roger! Set up! Take your readings as fast as you can!" Steve yelled as he fired his modified MP5, he Anthony, AMEE, Xat and the Jaffa needed to buy Roger as much time as possible. They were actually doing well for now, the enemy had numbers not range and the Alphans were making good use of range weaponry.

However numbers would count if the enemy had more than the allies had ammunition. "Getting low," Anthony Nelson noted as he changed clips, neither of Tolok's sons chimed in about staff weapon power sources, but unlikely they were low. However Anthony did note that Xat's firing rate was slowing.

"Alright, got it!" Roger finally said, packing up his equipment for removal. Xat was out first, and then sniped as the others backed out with SG-10 covering the rear. AMEE was technically the last out before Mek'hu and Yu'ya turned their staff weapons to the exit to collapse it.

"That only buys us a little time, I can already hear them digging," Steve said as they made their way back to Eagle ten.

Daniel wished yet again Sam had come along, but agreed that thought was born more from familiarity than competence. Professor Bergman was demonstrating just why he was Sam's teacher and mentor back during her college days from undergrad to doctorates. While the Alphans had their new Zat-like weapon, Daniel was the one who actually had a Zat and used it when he wasn't trying to help Victor and Nyan figure out the controls to release more from the floating crystal sphere.

Rosa Cave didn't know what was going on anymore. She was use to being in control, in charge, even if her husband was always late and kept on and on as a Naturalist. This was his fault, she was certain of that. He brought in that crystal egg and it was the thing that sucked her into it to the place of light and crystal where time seems to stand still.

Now she was standing with a little boy looking at her oddly, a glare turned his eyes downwards, and some oddly dressed men that reminded her she was wearing her nightgown.

"Oy, you!" she picked Tony of course, he was handsome and radiated authority, "What's going on here? How did I get here? Where's William?"

Others followed, a brunette in some blue gown with a flower in her hair, a gentleman in black suit and top hat, all of them looking about the same era. Unfortunately one Rosa Cave was demanding Tony's attention instead of being properly shocked to silence as the others were.

Twenty minutes later Kelly received the order to launch, but not just his Eagle, apparently there were quite a few people that had been taken to Mars.

"Be careful Helena," was all John could afford the time to say before the Rescue Eagle took off, then he was busy with Paul to see about getting every Eagle they could up and headed towards Mars.

However there was one Eagle that remained on the pad, and John was hesitant on sending it now, even after he received SG-10's report that it could be used.

That Ha'tak represented a clear and present danger, and yet it was grounded. It did show it could be used as a base of operation to threaten Alpha and presumably the Earth. That's why Eagle 'lucky' thirteen had been ready to launch. It was why John was determined to get everyone off the surface on the off chance that Major Healey was wrong and Eagle thirteen's payload woke up Olympus Mons.

Tony received a respite as Rosa had latched onto Victor as the 'sensible' man out of the group, and he felt for the Professor as he didn't have the heart to dislodge her. She had more than enough shocks coming to her when she finds out just how long she's been on Mars.

Daniel ended up leading the evacuees as he spoke the languages they understood. Not all were from England apparently, the Martians had picked 'specimens' from around the Earth of that time.

"Not good," Steve thought as they made it to their Eagle, "Are you sure Kander?"

"Yes, Colonel, I've trained the main camera on the exit you sealed, and I can see they are slowly clearing the rubble out of the way," Clive reported from Eagle six.

"Cyril, can you go and seal it back up, or at least pin them down?" Tonio asked the tank driver who smiled and patted the console of his beloved Pearly.

"Just leave it to us," Cyril said and started the moon adapted tank to get a good firing solution on the exit from the volcano.

Tonio did not leave it all to the tank, "Louis? I don't think the other group needs you at the moment, so head over to pin down the Anubi while Cyril gets his shots lined up."

Once again the 20 mm Gatling guns sang in the Martian air, and Louis marveled at the fact this shield over the area kept it with air and temperatures humans could live with. He could hardly wait to hear the Professor's take on the whys and hows of it.

Anubi had begun to pile out of the rubble, only to have their bodies act as their own kind of obstacle. Louis directed the 105 mm howitzers to join in the bombardment when Pearly was in position.

Sounds of the artillery were heard back at the pyramids, where a portly gentleman approached Victor, "Can you at least get the women and children to safety?"

"Not right now, sir," Victor tried to sound as calm as possible, not just for this man's sake, but Rosa as he knew her fear could transmute to anger rather quickly and that could be catching to the rest. "That's all desert between us and where we have to go," he explained knowing this man would take his words back to the others, over a hundred humans from the 1800s, "Few are dressed for the winds and sand, but don't worry help is on the way."

John knew pacing was not good for morale, but he found himself slowly pacing around Main Mission regardless. Yes they were building up a fleet of Eagles, and it is good they could send six out of the twelve planned Passenger Eagles, but that meant a second trip to Mars after this current one had return.

Tonio's report was clear that he believed they could keep the Anubi pinned down if there wasn't another exit from the base. He trusted his friend's judgment, or he wouldn't have been sent, much less as leader of the mission.

He also reported that Tony's his new weapons were working well, and that Tony's team should be able to keep the native Martians away in the time it will take for the Eagles to arrive, pick up the first wave, get them to Alpha and return to Mars again.

Lastly and what had John pacing was the report from SG-10. They could send Eagle thirteen and its payload to hopefully take out the Ha'tak and not trigger a significant seismic event. Left to himself, John would rather send Gxak as the Re'tu ship was proven more than capable of taking out an unshielded Ha'tak.

Washington had other ideas and those included testing the Mark VII.

He wasn't going to send it until the last wave of Eagles was on their way back, personal reasons aside and the fact Helena would remain up to that finale load made it very personal, it was the first time he ordered a bombing of anything. He wasn't worried about the public, Colonel Stryker and his people were ready to divert and deflect what astronomers that might be in a position to spot anything. It won't cover everyone, but he only had to worry about the more powerful telescopes. Anything else won't have the resolution to make a difference.

What he really wanted to do was to have Helena or Victor here to talk to about what's going on in his head. Yet both were going to wait until the last trip, although John did have to smile considering the part of the report about some woman who just won't let go of Victor.

Somehow that part of the report circulated about and John noticed that Karyel was not happy about that. Well she, like everyone else, will just have to wait. This wasn't going to be over in an instant, it was going to take time.

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording, six-hours after rescue options began for the Victorian era abductees. All 120 seem to be in good health and have been flown back to Alpha to be ringed down to Area 51. At this time it's not know what will become of them as the world they knew is centuries out of date. Once everyone was clear, Commander Koenig gave the go ahead for the launch of Eagle thirteen and the deployment of its payload. Eagles one and two are escorting it and the Mars probe will remain with Colonnello Cellini leading the study of the planet before and after the Naquadah-enhanced nuclear weapon is dropped onto the Ha'tak. Everyone here on Alpha hopes this will end the threat the Ha'tak had proved to be these many months since its discovery."

This time John wasn't around when she finished her recording and she felt like something was missing without him sitting here and sometimes teasing her. Helena's decision to head to Main Mission was fairly automatic as she wanted to be around her husband right now and considering what was about to happen, she imagined he'd want her there.

Seeing him still slowly pacing around Main Mission she was sure of it.

Helena figured out what to do to break his mood and it wasn't long during John's circuit around the stations before he found an obstacle that made him pay attention. Of course Helena always had that effect on him anyway even if she wasn't standing in the route he been pacing.

It did break a smile on his face, "There are those who might have thought you'd forgotten what a smile was," she quietly quipped as those nearest pretended not to listen in.

His smile faltered as he started towards the back of Main Mission towards his office, "I'm not sure how to put it into words. It's the first nuke I've every ordered dropped. How many others in any military on Earth could say that in decades?"

"Well the order did come from on high," Helena pointed out, reminding him that President Keller did authorize it, "Or down below if we want to be precise." John appreciated that double entendre from his wife, as they are on the Moon and Earth is beneath them, which left the other meaning of places many expect to freeze over before the impossible would happen. Like Man living on the moon, going to other worlds, fighting evil aliens, or ordering the dropping of a nuke.

Must be really cold someplace that's known for its heat about now.

Most of Main Mission were looking at the main viewer, it tracked the icons representing the Eagles to the one representing Mars.

John moved behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her as they turned their eyes to watch. "By the time it registers up there it's already happened," he said more to talk than to inform. It wasn't like Helena was unaware of the time delay.

There wasn't any cheering when the Mars icon flashed with the symbolism of detonation. If John had to pick one emotion that did charge the room it was relief. After all these months, the attacks, and the tension of simply not knowing, it was over.

"There are still plenty of mysteries John," Victor said as he came along side the couple, speaking as if he had just read at least one of their minds, "Where are the Anubi from, and why were they on Mars? To say nothing of what may have been the native species of that planet. Why have that one area where people like you and I could breath and live? Yes, many questions John and for now, too few answers."

John rested his chin on Helena's head as they stared up at the large screen, "Yes Victor, too few answers...for now."

Author's notes: Tonio Cellini is the same character that in canon was named Tony Cellini and appeared in the episode "Dragon's Domain." With so many Tony's (3 in this chapter) some name changes had to go into effect. Although I had often wondered if the character Tony Cellini of first season had meant to be Tony Verdeschi of second season. I am setting things up for my own version of Dragon's Domain later.

Two minor crossovers, AMEE is the movie Red Planet and Rosa Cave along with that whole subplot came from a delightful mini-series The Infinite Worlds of HG Wells.


	19. Psychon

"Moonbase Alpha status report, two weeks since the return of the Venus probe, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. Colonel Koenig is coping with the loss of those he had to leave behind and he has been cleared medically of any trace of what was caught by the other members of his crew. He is due back from Washington soon where Professor Bergman has gotten the IASA to finally sign off on the mission for a landing on the planet called Psychon."

"It is just the thing for him, Helena," Victor says having waited until she turned off the recorder, "It's what he needs."

"I know, to get back up onto the saddle and all, but I'm still worried about him Victor," Helena didn't even notice she had started to pace and Victor wasn't going to point it out to her.

"Well medically he's fine. He passed the psychological review and the SGC hearing concluded that it wasn't negligence, or some command error. He'll be fine Helena, especially if he doesn't have so much time to brood about it. A trip to another galaxy is just the thing for him." From the casual way Victor said it, Helena couldn't help but lightly laugh.

"To another galaxy. We make it sound like a trip out into the country."

"I suppose we might be getting a little blasé with using the Supergate, or even the Stargate for that matter. You add on going through quite a few Transversions and you either have to come to grips with the fact you have been to several galaxies, become jaded or live in denial. Me, I like to look at the wonder of it all. In four years we've gone from just barely into orbit, to other planets and now other galaxies. Its a tremendous triumph that I hope never grows old."

Helena finally stopped pacing, giving Victor a chance to walk up to her, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, let's head to the Ring room. John should be up soon."

Victor and Helena had to push through the crowds in the ring room, but no-one was going to bar their way to the front of the group. Helena took a look as they waited and saw a few scarves seemingly floating in place, telling her some of her husbands welcoming committee are Re'tu.

Nor where they the only non-humans in attendance. Tolok and his older sons were here, standing attention in all the Jaffa glory, one Mondoshawan, likely Ytisan if Helena had to guess which one, which she didn't have to do with Kosh. He's the only Vorlon to have come regularly to Moonbase Alpha, although a few SG teams have reported seeming others.

Helena didn't bother to hide her smile as the youngest Moonbase Alpha's residence clustered around Victor. She was typically brash and looked down her nose at the rest of humanity as savages, but Karyel looked up to Victor. He's one human that Tollan admired, just like the three Orbanians did, though they would never show it.

Not like they do when Alan is around. So far he's the only one to get them to smile. Helena wasn't looking forward to when they had to go back to their people.

Several glum thoughts vanished as the familiar sound of the rings interrupted her musings and the frown that was developing, turned up to a smile. "John," came the restrained greeting whose subtle tone practically shouted her love for the man resplendent in his dress blues.

However much Helena wanted to rush up to her husband, it was Paul who stepped up first and saluted. One John returned as he said, "I relieve you of command of Moonbase Alpha."

Group Captain Paul Marrow held that salute as he formally said, "I stand relieved."

Victor just walked forward and took John's hand after the salutes dropped and the applause began, "Welcome home John."

"That was quite a reception," John said hours later as he began removing his uniform while Helena sat and watched, "I hope -somebody- was manning Main Mission during that."

She could tell he wasn't serious, so she thought to get in a bit of teasing play out of this mood he was in, "I think we had Keeper running everything. She said she didn't mind at all, and perhaps for once Alpha would be run the way it is suppose to be."

John's jacket and tie had departed from him when he flopped down on the sofa in their quarters. Helena rose from her chair and joined him, sitting then snuggling up to him.

"You know everyone's glad you're back," she saw the look on his face, in his eyes and decided it was time to tackle it, "What's really bothering you? You're not still on the mission are you?" She knew he was, but this was something he shouldn't brush aside and they both knew it.

"I keep wondering if there was something else I could have done. We didn't see the Goa'uld satellite until it was too late. Tessa had been hit with whatever it was and Samuel was infected by what it did to her," John had gotten up, Helena only following him with her eyes, " I had to leave them behind. Eject the module and fly back to Alpha. I kept reassuring them we'd find a cure. The SGC had faced plagues and odd illnesses plenty of times before."

He shook his head, and looked down, hands on his hips, "But it wasn't to be. Not this time. There wasn't anyone left to save by the time we were able to go back. Then I had to make the call for Alan to blow their remains to ashes. We couldn't risk bringing back whatever it was they had."

John felt his wife's arms around him, she had finally risen from the sofa and walked up behind him. Her head leaning against his back, "There wasn't anything you could do. General Hammond said it, you've told me Washington said it, as much as that must have galled Senator Kinsey, and most of all Victor said it."

She couldn't see the smile briefly etch its way across his lips, but she felt the shift in his body as some of the tension left him. "Well, since Victor said it ..." Helena heard him say in gentler tones.

"Come on, let's get to bed. I understand Victor's found out a bit more since you left for the hearing," Helena suggested as she let go of her husband just enough for him to turn around take her into his arms and kiss her.

"Nirrti?" John repeated as he closed the folder in front of him. It had been a good night with his wife. This morning's meeting felt right to have, yet starkly contrasted the mood of his evening.

"We've gone back over the Eagle's logs and Tolok identifies that symbol as belonging to the Goa'uld Nirrti," Tony confirmed. "Why that satellite was in orbit of Venus we don't know. What we conclude is it was for one of her experiments."

"If you'll recall SG-1's report, she was responsible for wiping out the population of Hanka as well as the first SG-7," Paul added to the discussion, "She is interested in engineering an advanced human host."

"A hok'taur," Victor interjected his fingers steppled in front of him as he sat back.

John stood and walked to a window overlooking the moonscape beyond it. No-one said anything, just waiting for him to speak, which he did a moment later when he turned to face them. "But Venus can't support life as we know it. The Goa'uld seemed obsessed with the human life form, so why station this in Venus' orbit."

"That John is for the second Venus probe to find out," Victor now sat up as he began to relay news he knew his friend didn't want to hear, yet hoped it would further lead to news he would.

"How long?"

"Well, to build a new fuselage will take a few weeks. I've talked to Bernard and he estimates two, but John, Commissioner Simmons isn't going to let you command that one," Victor wasn't alone seeing their commander tense up.

"Tonio will command it," Victor didn't want to leave it long at all to pass this news. Information Paul could have or General Hammond. The founder of Alpha felt he should be the one to bear this news, because he had something he hoped would off set it, "He'll have to as you get to command the mission to Psychon."

John looked blank at first as if he wasn't hearing his friend and mentor right. Then slowly a smile spread across his lips, letting smiles around the table do so as well.

Victor couldn't have said who started applauding, he stood up and walked over to his friend shaking his stunned hand, "Congratulations John."

"He'll know what to do and the danger is over," John conceded as he believed in his friend, Tonio Cellini, who actually is more experienced with the Astro class ships, though it wasn't something John was going to admit to the man.

"I'll be escorting him John, so don't you worry about that," Alan assured him with a big smile. People often wondered if the happy-go-lucky Australian ever had a small smile.

"So that means you won't be going," John began his smile slowly fading, Alan wasn't having any of that, he clapped his commander on the shoulder with one hand, shaking the other. John's smile returned, when Alan was in a good mood like this, it was rather infectious.

"Doesn't mean I'll leave you in lurch. Bill will be along as your pilot," Alan assured John.

"Moonbase Alpha status report, supplemental. Three hundred and forty two hours since the beginning preparations to land on Psychon, Dr. Helena Russell-Koenig recording. Concurrently station Apollo prepared to go back to Venus, Alpha prepares to launch the long awaited mission to the planet Psychon. Keeper had told us in the past it had a Stargate, but currently is not responding to any attempts to dial in. The Psychon probe had brought back plenty of data specialists are still going over, but nothing that suggest a landing is unwarranted. While some might see it as inappropriate for the Commander of Alpha to go on this mission, more than one back at the SGC believe it is important he does so after the events during the Venus mission. I go on record, realizing how bias this will likely be taken as in agreement that the best thing for Commander Koenig is another mission, one that will be successful."

"You make it sound as if I've lost my nerve Helena," John protested as he walked in. Helena saw the hurt look, but knew she could no more take back the words as she could erase what happened around Venus.

"John, that's unfair," she began and stopped. Now was not the time to have an argument about this, "I had to make that recording and you know it. Would you want me to further sound bias and say everything was sunshine and roses?"

He took a breath and for an irrational moment, she thought he might have, but then that wouldn't have been the man she married.

"No, I wouldn't. I guess I just wanted to sound good," now a smile did emerge, determined to change the subject, he shouldn't intrude on her duties. "So, I'm kind of feeling a bit abandoned that Victor isn't coming with us."

Helena recognized an out when she heard it, as this wasn't news to either of them, it hadn't been for weeks. "Well he should be overlooking the data from both the Venus and Psychon mission. Professor Quatermass is brilliant, but he'd do better with Victor here. Besides, Ray and Lew will do fine. Lew was on the probe that orbited Psychon a while back."

"Don't tell me our Irish cowboy isn't going?" John said moving further towards safer topics of discussion, he already knew the answer to this one too.

"I don't think we'd hear the end of it if Dave wasn't coming along, besides he made sure to there was a reason to go."

"Oh yes, Trinium. Washington was very interested to see his readings of Trinium on Psychon. To find it on a no longer inhabited planet was a boon since we can't mind it from PXY-887," John knew that was likely the real reason both IASA and the Powers-That-Be in Washington signed off on this mission.

"Yes, the Salish tribe there might not like it if we tried again after re-opening contact with them, much less the Chip-chap-tiqulk who look after them," Helena pointed out in a whimsical tone.

"Let's not keep them waiting," John offered his arm, "Shall we go Dr. Koenig?"

Helena took the offered arm, "Certainly, Commander Koenig."

Alan looked at his board that showed the five Eagles on the pad. Eagle two would lead and is their armed Eagle, not that anyone expected trouble, but it was best to be prepared. Humanity had found out the hard way that the universe is not a safe place to go exploring.

Oh the other Eagles were armed with railguns, but Alan didn't put much stock in them since he had flown an Eagle or two with that armament. A damaged Al'kesh laughed at such attacks and it was basically the Interceptors and Gxak that took that down.

Finally it was time and one-by-one Alan and the rest of Main Mission watched the Eagles launch and head for the Supergate in the asteroid belt. Even as they approached, Sandra was dialing up their destination, "... Chevron six encoded ... Chevron seven encoded ... Chevron eight, locked."

All eyes were on the viewscreen as so far it never ceased to amaze them.

"Good luck Psychon mission and Godspeed," Victor wished them as the Eagles flew into the event horizon and through to another galaxy.

For twenty minutes the views from the Eagles showed the approach to the planet named Psychon. Twenty uneventful minutes where eyes did wander from the screen to consoles and reports. While the flight didn't seem event filled, the astronomers were using the cameras onboard to take pictures of that solar system. Certainly the Psychon probe earlier had a lot, but one never could have enough data.

Sandra saw it first, "Paul..."

"Commander, There's a strange light coming off that planet," he informed the lead Eagle, "Like a big ball of light."

"Give me a position," Bill requested as he was flying Eagle two, John was the co-pilot.

"It is gaining speed, relaying coordinates to the Eagles now," Sandra said hands working over her keyboard quickly.

"Eagles break formation and evade," Tony shouted needlessly. It was precisely what John was ordering.

David had Selene run a composite from the different Eagle views to come up with a generated animation of what was going on real-time. Absently Lou thought again how their supercomputer had a future in computer animation if Alpha was ever closed down.

"Why aren't you launching?" Karyel demanded wondering what was taking these savages so long to see a clear and present danger. The young Tollan had in her mind that they should be ready to fight at the drop of a head, no the expression was hat. At the drop of any hat.

"Because by the time we get there it will be all over," one Major Louis Ferretti replied as he would love to do just what Karyel wanted for once. That was Alan's call as far as he was concerned, which meant it was Paul's.

"It will be alright, Karyel," Victor moved to the Tollan's side, "John knows what to do." Lou breathed out relieved, although seeing Bill's wife, Annette walk into Main Mission having heard something was wrong, he hoped the Professor might spare her a few words.

Bill's frantic call pulled Lou's attention back to the big screen, "Can't shake it, Alpha, it's locked on to us!"

They could see the other Eagles firing, likely on John's local command. Selene 'drew' in icons representing the projectiles as most of them were dead on target into the ball of light, yet it seemed not to notice as it also did not deviate from its pursuit of Eagle two.

"Come on Fraser, you've got to evade that Will-o'-the-wisp," Lou nearly did a double take as the unflappable, and seemingly unimaginative, Brit put a pretty accurate label on what that thing chasing Eagle two was like. In fact, David punched a few keys and Selene now labeled the ball of light, Wisp.

It was a dance and weave unlike anything among the experienced pilots from the various air forces around Earth. Eagles spun, shot up, seemed upside down in orientation with the others, Eagle two flying backwards as it brought its weapon to fire at the Wisp. Staff cannon bolts rippled into the light as it continue to advance upon that Eagle.

One would have thought Sandra read off the distances dispassionately as the Wisp closed distances, but by now everyone currently in Main Mission, even Karyel, could pick up on how worried Sandra sounded. "... Impact in five ... four ... three ... two ...one. Impact."

Everyone watched as the Wisp enveloped Eagle two and for a heartbeat everyone thought it was a weapon with all hands on the Eagle now lost.

Then they heard clearly, "Help us, Alpha, help us..." Over and over again as the Wisp now headed back to Psychon outdistancing the Eagles that tried to follow it.

Annette fainted. Sandra was quick to put the call to medical, "Medical crew to Main Mission." Victor, followed by Karyel, were the first there kneeling over Annette, the former checking her vital signs, the latter more shadowing the man who had become a father figure to her.

Paul looked over at Alan and nodded. He couldn't remember standing up, but clearly Alan had as he now found himself leaning over at his console to issue an order to his pilots in flight. "Kelly, you're in command. Get those Eagles back to Alpha."

"You can't leave them there!" Karyel spun and rose from Annette's prone figure. She looked with accusing eyes at Paul, then at all of Main Mission, before turning to the Clamshell suspended up in the corner where the computer wall met the front wall of Main Mission, "Keeper, can we Transverse there?"

The crustacean like head of the Keeper shimmered into view, "I'm afraid not Karyel. The moon of Psychon that Chandra had roots in had been destroyed and as you know the Stargate on Psychon has not allowed us to conn...wait a moment. Chandra feels a connection now. Shall I dial?"

Lou was already moving to the Gateroom, with Tony calling his squad to the chamber as well as a few backups, like Tolok's sons, a Re'tu or two and Parey's people. He wasn't sure he wanted Parey herself. She seemed to have been paying more attention to him than usual of late.

Not that now was the time to think about it and he really could use her people, and more importantly their Bedrosian weapons, backing up Louis in the Gateroom.

Paul nodded to Keepers image, who in turn announced, "Dialing now Group Captain Marrow."

"Unpacking AMEE and preparing for exploration," David Kano reported as keyed new commands.

"Rescue Eagle on the pad, prepping AWACS and Gunship Eagles for launch," Tony informed Paul working over Alan's shoulder. The Australian wasn't there for long as he got up to head to Eagle one.

"What makes you primitives think than an Eagle is going to do anything to these things?" Karyel asked with less scorn than before, far more concern than she had shown in the months since being sent to Alpha.

She could see that those around her noticed that part too, "What? Can't I be concerned about what happens to you savages? Don't worry I'm not going native. I just..." she turned away to her station and promptly sat down without another word.

Karyel only looked up when Ben and a medical team arrived to check Annette and then load her onto the rolling gurney, speeding her off to the medical center.

"So Paul why are you letting us send more Eagles?" Tony asked quietly as Victor put his hands on the Tollan's shoulders trying to calm her down.

"I can't do nothing Tony, you know that," he replied and then raised his voice above the whisper he just shared with the third in command, "Professor I thought the original Psychon probe reported no inhabitants or evidence of any technology on Psychon."

"Its not a given that they were wrong, Paul. More likely another intelligence has arrived since the probe and has set up base."

"...Chevron eight locked," Sandra reported as Keeper went ahead to dial regardless of what was going on in Main Mission.

Louis was split. Part of him wanted to fly Eagle seven again, but right now he was in charge of Gateroom security. Technically under Tony as he is Security Chief, the US Government wanted a USAF officer involved with the security of the Stargate itself.

He watched as the form of AMEE unfolded and then prowled towards the event horizon of the active gate.

"Good girl, AMEE," he said as 'she' passed him and then the two rows of guards.

In Main Mission, David was putting the visual feed from the Autonomous Mapping Evaluation and Evasion scout up on the main viewscreen. They could see what appeared to be a chamber much like the Gateroom in Cheyenne Mountain at the SGC. More reds in the colors around with a rather large and one might say robust if not rotund bearded man in robes at one end. What could only be thought of as guards closer in who raised what had to be weapons. Which they proved themselves to be as they fired.

Since energy can travel both ways from an active wormhole, Louis and his people found themselves under indirect attack as the guards kept missing their target. "Take cover! You too, Xat and Xzuk!" Lou more guessed they were there than saw them through the visor he wasn't wearing at the moment.

Parey didn't have to tell her people to seek cover, they are professionals, especially as survivors from the Goa'uld attack on Bedrosia.

AMEE proved the E of evasion apt for her name, and while they didn't see more than blurs sometimes as she flipped and spun, they did see the occasional manipulator punch or kick at an incoming guard.

"Get her either out of there or send her deeper in Kano!" Paul ordered and while David was known for anthropomorphizing machines, he didn't pull AMEE back, but sent her deeper in on a search mission for the crew of Eagle two.

"We can take the room!" Ba'ta shouted, apparently David was sending the Horus headed guards a feed that let them see the chamber along with Main Mission.

"Do it! Xat back them up!" Paul made the call, and watched as the four sons of Tolok charged through the active gate, followed by a ripple without an apparent owner. One Re'tu following behind the Jaffa.

"Warren, and Casey, back them up!" Louis ordered the two men who had been with him since the first trip to Chulak under the then alive, Major Kawalsky of SG-2. They didn't hesitate other than to make sure a stray shot wasn't heading their way.

"They may see this as an invasion," Tony pointed out, "Especially if they are aware of the Goa'uld. I know it's a waste not to use the equipment, but we might be sending the wrong message."

"If they had nothing to do with the Wisp, I'll apologize, but otherwise the coincidence of an intelligence on Psychon when we didn't detect any before seems to me that it's connected to whoever sent the Wisp up. I don't believe for a moment that two separate intelligences arrived and planted a base there at the same time."

"It's not impossible, just unlikely," Tony was surprised he was playing Devil's Advocate, but someone had to. Absolutes got people killed more often than protected them.

"Getting feeds from Casey and Warren," Kano announced, putting up their helmet cam views as smaller windows up on the main viewer. They joined the four from the 'eyes' of the Horus helmets. David was rather surprised that such a system wasn't more widespread. It only took a little work to adapt them to Alpha.

If Tolok was there instead on Eagle two, he would have taken the time to explain again that most Goa'uld had either forgotten the system was there or didn't know it.

When he was younger in the priesthood he thought the former or that the so-called gods didn't need it to see what they wanted to see, but as the years went on he was convinced it was the latter. Finding out they don't so much invent technologies as take it from others.

David spared a moment for a small smile as he recalled the words of the over century old man, who looked as if he could have been his uncle not several great grandfathers.

Looking up from his console, he, along with the rest of Main Mission, could see staff blast marks, and only downed alien guards, the bearded man was gone. It looked as if the room was theirs.

"Ten minutes until Eagle approach of the Supergate," Sandra updated everyone. Kelly had his orders, he was to return and that was that.

"Tell them to hold. I'll want to Transverse to that Chlorine atmospheric planet and base out of there," Paul began and was interrupted by the Keeper.

"I'm afraid opening the intergalactic wormhole has drained Chandra's strength so that isn't a possibility for now, Group Captain Marrow. However since it was only opening a gate and not a transverse, he should be able to recover his strength in only a matter of hours and not days."

"Have them proceed back to Alpha," Paul corrected and listened to Sandra as she passed on the order then coordinate with clearing the pads of the Eagles being prepared for launch to receive the ones eventually returning from the Supergate.

"Tony load up a FRED and get over there to lead that party because that gate will close eventually. I want you in charge over there," his orders were quiet and direct, it raised alarms in Tony he wanted to address now rather than later.

"Are you cutting the Yanks out of this?" Tony barely made it a whisper, they couldn't afford factionalism right now, at any time actually. Although Warren and Casey were more Louis men than Tony's. Made even clearer by the fact the Gateroom squad didn't wear the international styled uniforms of Alpha, but stuck with their USAF BDUs.

Nearly impreceivably, Paul shook his head, "No, nor do we have time for this. I need Ferretti here and a command level personnel there. You may have to make policy level decisions Tony."

"Can't leave that to the grunts now, can we?" the Italian said good-naturedly now that his fears had been addressed. He moved off to the Gateroom, while Sandra arranged for supplies to be loaded up on the Field Remote Expeditionary Device.

"Sahn, is Ytisan or any of the other Mondoshawan nearby? Call him to the Gateroom if he or any of the others are closer." Sandra nodded and began to look, at the rate Mondoshawan typically walk, if they were far away the gate would shut off by the time they might make it to the Gateroom. A race, a society, focused on engineering would be good to have over there.

"Paul you should let me go on this one," the calm and urbane voice of Victor drifted over to current moonbase commander.

"Professor..." Paul's tone sounded regretful which Victor was taking to mean he wouldn't relent.

"Incoming!" they heard from Casey's cam on the viewer then gun and staff fire as they could see a Wisp fly into view and then out of it as they could see it fly into the wormhole. With Tony and Parey diving out of the way as it entered the Gateroom and then up into Main Mission to envelope Victor just as the man turned around to look.

"To all teams, the Wisp has the Professor, do not fire! Repeat, do not fire at the Wisp!" Paul quickly snapped off the command over his comlock as the Wisp made its way back down to the Gateroom and through the Stargate.

"Paul!" it wasn't so much the fact his name was shouted by someone who hadn't earned that right, as it was who did the shouting that kept him from reprimanding said offender.

"You've got to let me go Paul!" Karyel pleased, Marrow's features appearing now carved in stone as she went on, "Or let me send my guards. Please Paul! It's the Professor they now have!"

Every so slowly, he nodded once. He didn't want her to think she could just shout her way around them, but the Tollans would be good to have over there. Quickly she turned away from Paul and actually used a comlock to contact her two guards, giving them their orders.

By the time they arrived, Sandra had informed Tony over his comlock.

FRED loaded, Ytisan arrived, the rest of the party made their way through the Stargate, which closed behind them minutes later.

To be continued...


End file.
